The use of compression hosiery for the treatment of varicose veins of lower extremities

Khorev N.G.; Beller A.V.

doi:https://doi.org/

Close metadata

Recommended articles:

Invasive Treatment of Recurrent Varicose Veins in Patients with Femoral Vein Incompetence. Journal of Venous Disorders. 2025;(3):156-163

Effect of Micronized Purified Flavonoid Fraction on Vein-Specific Inflammatory Markers in Patients with Varicose Veins Disease. Journal of Venous Disorders. 2025;(4):273-283

A Topical Agent Based on Recombinant Human Epidermal Growth Factor and Silver Sulfadiazine Accelerates the Healing of Venous (Chronic) Ulcers: A Prospective Comparative Non-Randomized Study ESKIZ. Journal of Venous Disorders. 2025;(4):284-294

Diosmin and Other Venoactive Drugs: Mechanisms of Action, Current and Future Indications for Use. Journal of Venous Disorders. 2025;(4):307-314

Effectiveness of 600 mg Diosmin in Patients with Venous Edema and Symptoms in Real Life Practice. Journal of Venous Disorders. 2026;(1):50-56

Varicose veins in chronic experiment. Pirogov Russian Journal of Surgery. 2025;(7):16-23

Treatment of giant varicose veins of the lower extremities using total endovenous laser coagulation. Pirogov Russian Journal of Surgery. 2025;(8):125-130

Pharmacological support strategies following endovenous laser ablation in patients with varicose veins. Pirogov Russian Journal of Surgery. 2025;(12):119-130

Abstract:

Compression hosiery is extensively used for the prophylaxis and treatment of the patients presenting with chronic primary varicose veins. The main items of the therapeutic compression hosiery are knee socks, stockings, and pantyhose differing in the amount of pressure generated at the level of the ankles. The aim of compression of extremities using an external device is to reduce dynamic venous hypertension responsible for the development of oedema, cutaneous and microcirculatory disorders. There is the direct relationship between the improvement of venous hemodynamics and the duration of wearing compression hosiery. The clinical efficacy of the combination of compression therapy and intake of venoactive pharmaceutical products is shown to be higher than that of the application of either of these therapeutic modalities alone. Compression hosiery improves venous return in pregnant women and may be instrumental in the prevention of thrombosis in the patients of the high-risk groups. Wearing compression stockings is recommended as the method of choice for the pregnant women presenting with primary varicosis.

Keywords:

compression hosiery

primary varicosis

compression hosiery

primary varicosis

Authors:

Khorev N.G.

Altaĭskiĭ gosudarstvennyĭ meditsinskiĭ universitet, Barnaul;
Otdelencheskaia klinicheskaia bol'nitsa st. Barnaul

Beller A.V.

Otdelencheskaia klinicheskaia bol'nitsa st. Barnaul

Close metadata

References:

London N.J.M., Nash R. ABC of arterial and venous disease: varicose veins. Br Med J 2000; 320: 1391-1394.
Labropoulos N., Leon M., Volteas N., Nicolaides A.N. Acute and long-term effect of elastic stockings in patients with varicose veins. Int Angiol 1994; 13: 119-123.
Benigni J.P., Lazareth I., Parpex P., Gerard J.L., Alves M., Vin F., Meaume S., Senet P., Allaert F.A. Efficacy, safety and acceptability of a new two-layer bandage system for venous leg ulcers. J Wound Care 2007; 16: 385-390.
Pierson S., Pierson D., Swallow R., Johnson G.Jr. Efficacy of graded elastic compression in the lower leg. JAMA 1983; 249: 242-243.
Orbach E.J. Compression therapy of vein and lymph diseases of the lower extremities. A present day overview. Angiology 1979; 30: 95-103.
Ramelet A.A. Compression therapy. Dermatol Surg 2002; 28: 6-10.
Tisi P. Varicose veins. Clin Evid 2006; 286-294.
Coull A., Clark M., Bale S., Collier M., Hopkins A., Kingsley A., Lindsay E., Vowden K. Best practice statement: compression hosiery. Wounds UK 2002; 1-24.
Hampton S. The purpose and function of compression hosiery. Nurs Resident Care 2002; 4: 318-353.
Rajendran S., Rigby A.J., Anand S.C. Venous leg ulcer treatment and practice. Part 3: the use of compression therapy systems. J Wound Care 2007; 16: 107-109.
Maylor M.E. Compression award. Accurate selection of compression and antiembolic hosiery. Br J Nurs 2001; 10: 1172-1178.
Rossiiskie klinicheskie rekomendatsii po diagnostike i lecheniyu khronicheskikh zabolevanii ven nizhnikh konechnostei. Flebologiya 2009; 3: 3.
Callam M.J., Ruckley C.V., Dale J., Harper D.R. Hazards of compression treatment of legs: an estimate from Scottish surgeons. Br Med J 1987; 295: 1382.
Wienert V., Waldermann F., Zabel M., Rabe E., Junger M. Guidelines - Compression hosiery. Phlebologie 2004; 33: 139-144.
Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. The care of patients with chronic leg ulcer. 1998. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. Report No. 26. See www.sign.ac.uk (last accessed 8 August 2008).
Partsch H., Flour M., Smith P.C. International Compression Club. Indications for compression therapy in venous and lymphatic disease consensus based on experimental data and scientific evidence. Under the auspices of the IUP. Int Angiol 2008; 27: 193-219.
Raju S., Hollis K., Neglen P. Use of compression stockings in chronic venous disease: patient compliance and efficacy. Ann Vasc Surg 2007; 21: 790-795.
Franks P.J., Moffatt C.J., Connolly M., Bosanquet N., Oldroyd M.I., Greenhalgh R.M., McCollum C.N. Factors associated with healing leg ulceration with high compression. Age Ageing 1995; 24: 407-410.
Chant A.D.B., Davies L.J., Pike J.M., Sparks M.J. Support stockings in practical management of varicose veins. Phlebology 1989; 4: 167-169.
Sapelkin S.V., Bogachev V.Yu. Kompressionnaya terapiya v rossiiskoi flebologicheskoi praktike (rezul'taty anketirovaniya). Flebologiya 2008; 4: 6-9.
Partsch B., Partsch H. Calf compression pressure required to achieve venous closure from supine to standing positions. J Vasc Surg 2005; 42: 734-738.
Christopoulos D.C., Nicolaides A.N., Belcaro G., Kalodiki E. Venous hypertensive microangiopathy in relation to clinical severity and effect of elastic compression. J Dermatol Surg Oncol 1991; 17: 809-813.
Jones N.A.,Webb P.J., Rees R.I., Kakkar V.V. A physiological study of elastic compression stockings in venous disorders of the leg. Br J Surg 1980; 67: 569-572.
Norgren L. Elastic compression stockings - an evaluation with foot volumetry, strain-gauge plethysmography and photoplethysmography. Acta Chir Scand 1988; 154: 505-507.
Ibegbuna V., Delis K., Nicolaides A.N. Effect of lightweight compression stockings on venous haemodynamics. Int Angiol 1997; 16: 185-188.
Fronek A., Goldman M., Fronek K. The effect of compression on venous haemodynamics assessed by quantitative photoplethysmography. Phlebology 1998; 13: 98-101.
Muller-Buhl U., Heim B., Fischbach U., Windeler J., Finkenstadt T., Schlafer M. Effect of compression stockings on leg volume in patients with varicose veins. Phlebology 1998; 13: 102-106.
Hirai M., Iwata H., Hayakawa N. Effect of elastic compression stockings in patients with varicose veins and healthy controls measured by strain gauge plethysmography. Skin Res Technol 2002; 8: 236-239.
Szendro G., Veller M., Fisher C., Christopoulos D., Belcaro G., Clarke H., Nicolaides A.N. The effect of elastic compression on the venous tone in patients with varicose veins. VASA 1992; 21: 198-202.
Hirai M., Iwata H., Niimi K., Miyazaki K., Koyama A., Komatsubara R. Improvement of a three-dimensional measurement system for the evaluation of foot edema. Skin Res Technol 2012; 18: 1: 120-124.
Hirai M., Nukumizu Y., Kidokoro H., Hayakawa N., Iwata H., Nishikimi N., Sho K., Tsujisaka T., Komatsubara R. Effect of elastic compression stockings on oedema prevention in healthy controls evaluated by a three-dimensional measurement system. Skin Res Technol 2006; 12 : 1: 32-35.
Leon M., Volteas N., Labropoulos N., Kalodiki E., Chan P., Belcaro G., Nicolaides A.N. The effect of elastic stockings on the elasticity of varicose veins. Int Angiol 1993; 12: 173-177.
Lord R.S., Hamilton D. Graduated compression stockings (20-30 mm Hg) do not compress leg veins in the standing position. ANZ J Surg 2004; 74: 581-585.
Partsch H. Evidence based compressiontherapy. Vasa 2004; 34: 1e39.
Vin F. International consensus conference on compression. Phlébologie 2003;56:315-367.
Motykie G.D.,Caprini J.A., Arcelus J.I., Reyna J.J., Overom E., Mokhtee D. et al. Evaluation of therapeutic compression stockingsinthe treatmentof chronic venous insufficiency. Dermatol Surg 1999; 25: 116-120.
Palfreyman S.J., Michaels J.A. A systematic review of compression ho-siery for uncomplicated varicose veins. Phlebology 2009; 24: Suppl 1: 13-33.
Amsler F., Blattler W. Compression therapy for occupational leg symptoms and chronic venous disorders - a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2008; 35: 366-372.
Benigni J.P., Sadoun S., Allaert F.A., Vin F. Efficacy of Class 1 elastic compression stockings in the early stages of chronic venous disease. Int Angiol 2003; 22: 383-392.
Chant A.D.B., Magnussen P., Kershaw C. Support hose and varicose veins. Br Med J 1985; 290: 204.
Gloviczki P., Comerota A.J., Dalsing M.C., Eklof B.G., Gillespie D.L., Gloviczki M.L., Lohr J.M., McLafferty R.B., Meissner M.H., Murad M.H., Padberg F.T., Pappas P.J., Passman M.A., Raffetto J.D., Vasquez M.A., Wakefield T.W. The care of patients with varicose veins and associated chronic venous diseases: clinical practice guidelines of the Society for Vascular Surgery and the American Venous Forum. J Vasc Surg 2011; 53: 5: Suppl: 2S-48S.
Anderson J.H., Geraghty J.G., Wilson J.T., Murray G.D. Paroven and graduated compression hosiery for superficial venous insufficiency. Phlebology 1990; 5: 271-276.
Hartmann B.R., Drews B., Kayser T., Hartmann B.R. Physical therapy improves venous hemodynamics in cases of primary varicosity: results of a controlled study. Angiology 1997; 48: 157-162.
Michaels J.A., Campbell W.B., Brazier J.E., Macintyre J.B., Palfreyman S.J., Ratcliffe J., Rigby K. Randomised clinical trial, observational study and assessment of cost-effectiveness of the treatment of varicose veins (REACTIV trial). Health Technol Ass 2006; 10: 1-196.
Ratcliffe J., Brazier J.E., Campbell W.B., Palfreyman S., MacIntyre J.B., Michaels J.A. Cost-effectiveness analysis of surgery versus conservative treatment for uncomplicated varicose veins in a randomized clinical trial. Br J Surg 2006; 93: 2: 182-186.
Norgren L. Graduated elastic compression: effects on venous function during late pregnancy - a review. Scope on Phlebology and Lymphology 1997; 9-11.
Norgren L., Austrell C., Nilsson L. The effect of graduated elastic compression stockings on femoral blood flow velocity during late pregnancy. Vasa 1995; 24: 282-285.
Nilsson L., Austrell C., Norgren L. Venous function during late pregnancy, the effect of elastic compression hosiery. Vasa 1992; 21: 203-205.
Duddy M.J., McHugo J.M. Duplex ultrasound of the common femoral vein in pregnancy and puerperium. Br J Radiol 1991; 64: 785-791.
Macklon N.S., Greer I.A., Bowman A.W. An ultrasound study of gestational and postural changes in the deep venous system of the leg in pregnancy. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 1997; 104: 191-197.
Cordts P.R., Gawley T.S. Anatomic and physiologic changes in lower extremity venous hemodynamics associated with pregnancy. J Vasc Surg 1996; 24: 763-767.
Sparey C., Sissons G., Haddad N., Rosser S., de Cossart L. Serial colour flow duplex scanning of the veins of the lower limb throughout pregnancy. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 1999; 106: 557-662.
Austrell C., Thulin I., Norgren L. The effects of long term graduated compression treatment on venous function during pregnancy. Phlebology 1995; 10: 165-168.
Nilsson L., Austrell C., Norgren L. Venous function during late pregnancy, the effect of elastic compression hosiery. Vasa 1992; 21: 203-205.
Thaler E., Huch R., Huch A., Zimmermann R. Compression stockings prophylaxis of emergent varicose veins in pregnancy: a prospective randomised controlled study. Swiss Med Wkly 2001; 131: 659-662.
Coughlin L.B., Gandy R., Rosser S., de Cossart L. Pregnancy and compression tights for varicose veins: a randomised trial. Phlebology 2001; 16: 1: 47.