Influence of Medical Compression Stockings on Skin Hydration in Mainly Health Care Givers with Occupational Leg Symptoms and Edema

Abstract

<b><i>Background and Objective:</i></b> Although compression therapy is a very effective therapy in reducing stasis-induced complaints, the wearing comfort is not always as requested. Most frequent problems are dryness of the skin and itching. This randomized, cross-over trial investigated 33 healthy participants and compared 2 different medical compression stockings: conventional stockings (type A = MCS) versus compression stockings with integrated care emulsion (type B = MCS-SkC). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Participants were divided into 2 cohorts. Both compression types were worn one after the other, 1 week each. The cohorts were named according to the sequence of the wearing periods (cohort AB/BA). <i>Primary outcome</i>: skin hydration. <i>Secondary outcomes:</i> transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin roughness, leg volume, interface pressure, and questionnaires about stasis-induced complaints and wearing comfort. <b><i>Results:</i></b> <i>Skin hydration</i>: significant reduction after wearing MCS in both cohorts (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001); preservation of skin moisture after wearing MCS-SkC (<i>p</i> = 0.546 and <i>p</i> = 0.1631). <i>TEWL</i>: significant increase after wearing MCS (<i>p</i> = 0.007 and <i>p</i> = 0.0031); significant reduction by wearing MCS-SkC (<i>p</i> = 0.006 and <i>p</i> = 0.0005). S<i>kin roughness</i>: significant increase after wearing MCS (<i>p</i> = 0.0015 and <i>p</i> = 0.010), and nonsignificant decrease of skin roughness after wearing MCS-SkC (<i>p</i> = 0.933 and <i>p</i> = 0.4570). <i>Leg volume:</i> significantly reduced with both stockings (<i>p</i> = 0.004 and <i>p</i> = 0.0047). Regarding stasis-induced complaints, both stockings achieved good results. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Both compression stockings are appropriate to reduce leg edema and minimize leg symptoms. MCS-SkC helps to obtain the natural skin barrier function in preserving the epidermal water content and reducing the TEWL.