Long-term observational study on outpatient treatment of venous diseases with medical compression stockings in Germany

Abstract

SummaryBackground As detailed data are lacking on the provision of medical compression stockings (MCSs) in outpatient therapy of venous disorders in Germany, we examined various application parameters of mediven® roundknit garments in an 18-month observational study.Results Findings possibly indicative of impaired tolerability (dry skin [26.5–29.6 %], transient skin irritation [1.3–2.7 %]) were rare and decreased during the course of the study. The number of patients reporting a marked improvement during the past 12 months increased by 41.5–46.1 %, irrespective of the CEAP classification. Up to 84.5 % of participants reported that their well-being remained at a constantly high level, and the CEAP class improved objectively in 17.7 % of participants. The participants were prescribed an average of four prescriptions for MCSs (mainly compression class 2) which, irrespective of the CEAP and BMI, were mostly of a light quality. During the study, 65.3–75.6 % of patients wore the MCSs every day.Conclusion Our data show that mediven® MCSs are very well tolerated and lead to a subjective improvement in symptoms. Nevertheless, our results clearly confirm the need to optimise provision to patients with venous disorders.