Changing attitudes towards compression treatment in real phlebology practice from 2012 to 2022
Abstract
Background. Compression therapy for the treatment of chronic vein
disease is a common technique and has been used for more than a hundred years.
In 2012 a questionnaire was presented to the medical practitioners about
compression therapy in everyday phlebology practice. In 2022 a similar survey
was repeated by the participants of the Actual Phlebology project.
Aim. To evaluate the change of attitude of phlebologists
towards compression therapy in patients with chronic vein disease during a
10-year period.
Material
and methods. In 2012 152
physicians aged 21 to 71 years were questioned about compression therapy in
everyday phlebology practice. In 2022 211 phlebologists aged 24 to 69 years
participated in the survey. Respondents answered 14 general questions. In
response to the realities of phlebology, six questions were added in 2022 to
guide the physicians’ attitudes towards compression therapy.
Results. Compression therapy is still very widespread in
chronic and acute conditions of the lower extremity venous system and is very
favourably received by the physician community. Between 2012 and 2022, there
has been a significant change in preference for post-operative treatment.
Whereas 10 years ago 70.4% of respondents preferred elastic bandages, in 2022,
77. 4% of phlebologists already used compression bandages. After stripping the
percentage of phlebologists recommending compression stockings increased by
9.3% to 87.6% between 2012 and 2022.
Conclusion. The most versatile compression stocking in 2022 is
compression class 2. In the 10 years between the surveys a clear trend towards
a decrease in compression class and a decrease in the duration of compression
therapy in phlebology patients was observed. Compression therapy has been and
still is widely used in patients with chronic vein disease. Despite the lack of
a wide evidence base, its accessibility, safety and efficacy are the basis of
the positive image of this technique in the eyes of the modern phlebology
community.
Keywords:compression therapy; compression stockings; chronic venous disease; acute venous thrombosis
Funding. The study had no sponsor support.
Conflict of interest.
The authors declare
no conflict of interest.
For citation: Kravtsov P.F., Markin S.M., Artemova A.S., Vanyan
G.N. Changing attitudes towards compression treatment in real phlebology
practice from 2012 to 2022. Clinical and Experimental Surgery. Petrovsky Journal.
2023; 11 (2): 146–52. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33029/2308-1198-2023-11-2-146-152
(in Russian)
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