Elastic compression is common in patients with chronic venous disease (CVD), but compliance with treatment is often low.

OBJECTIVE

To compare objective monitoring of patients’ compliance with compression treatment with self-reporting by patients diaries.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patients aged ≥18 years with C0S—C4S CVD were included. All participants were prescribed to wear class 1 compression knee-length stockings. We assessed subjectively measured and actual time of wearing of compression stocking. Data were collected using a diary of intraday wearing time filled in by the patient and thermograph fixed to the stocking cuff.

RESULTS

The study included 10 participants (7 women and 3 men). Mean age was 49±11 years (range 40—70). Participants were distributed as follows: class C1 — 1 (10%), C2 — 4 (40%), C3 — 5 patients (50%). Seven patients (70%) were recommended to use compression for 6—8 hours daily, 3 patients (30%) — for 10—12 hours daily. Only 5 (50%) patients wore the hosiery for 7 days, while three patients missed some days as evidenced by thermograph and diary. Two patients (20%) reported daily use of hosiery, but thermography data indicated wearing for only 4 days in one case and 1 day in another case. The number of missed days registered by thermograph was 16, while patients reported only 7 days (p=0.066). Eight participants (80%) overstated total weekly wearing time. None participant reported any discomfort associated with thermograph or any adverse events related to wearing the compression hosiery.

CONCLUSION

The use of a compact logger to measure ambient temperature provides a more accurate assessment of the compression hosiery wearing duration. Patients’self-reporting of compression wearing duration is associated with a risk of inaccurate data regarding compliance with compression treatment.