Education as a Protective Factor Moderating the Effect of Depression on Memory Impairment in Elderly Women

OBJECTIVE: The cognitive reserve theory explicates individual differences observed in the clinical manifestation of dementia despite similar brain pathology. Education, a popular proxy of the cognitive reserve, has been shown to have protective effects delaying the onset of clinical symptoms including memory. This study was conducted to test whether education can moderate the negative effect of depressive mood on memory performance in elderly women residing in the community. METHODS: 29 elderly “unschooled” female (less than 6 years of formal education) and 49 “schooled” female (6 or more years) people were compared with regard to association between depressive mood and verbal memory functioning, which were measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Elderly Verbal Learning Test, respectively. RESULTS: The results showed that completing or receiving more than primary school education significantly reduced the negative association between depressive mood and memory performance. Participants who did not complete primary schooling showed a decline in memory test scores depending on the level of depressive mood; whereas participants who have completed or received more than primary education displayed relatively stable memory function despite varying level of depressive mood. CONCLUSION: Our findings imply that education in early life may have protective effects against memory impairment related to elderly depression.

Comparative Study of Endovenous Laser Treatment with Different Laser Wavelength for Saphenous Vein Incompetence

PURPOSE: Limited data is available about the relative effects of laser wavelengths when conducting endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) for saphenous vein incompetence. We performed this study to compare the safety and efficacy between EVLT with using an 810 nm and a 1,320 nm laser. METHODS: 147 incompetent saphenous veins in 101 consecutive patients who were treated with EVLT were included in this study. We divided them into two groups: 810 in the nm laser group (Group A: 85 saphenous veins in 52 patients) and 1,320 in the nm laser group (Group B: 62 saphenous veins in 49 patients). The patients were evaluated with Doppler sonography to evaluate the results of the treatment at 1 and 3 months after the procedure. Symptomatic improvement was compared between the groups according to the venous clinical severity score (VCSS), the Averdeen varicose vein symptom severity score (AVSS), the complications, the recurrences and the recanlization rate. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in an average linear endovenous energy density (LEED) between two groups. During the mean follow-up of 139 days in Group A and 116 days in Group B, more complications occurred in Group A (42.3%) than that in Group B (32.7%). The postoperative clinical improvement was similar between the two groups for the VCSS and AVSS. The ultrasonography (USG)-proved recanalizaton rates at postoperative 1 and 3 months were 1.2% and 4.3% in Group A and 1.6% and 1.9% in Group B, respectively. Recurrences occurred in only 2 cases in Group A. CONCLUSION: EVLT with a 1,320 nm laser had a tendency to develop fewer complications, recurrences and USG-proven recanalizations of the saphenous veins. Long-term data from large randomized prospective trials is needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of this operative procedure.

Clinical Analysis of Endovenous Laser Treatment for Primary Varicose Vein Reflux

PURPOSE: Endovenous laser treatment for incompetent great saphenous vein (GSV) has been recently proposed as an effective means of treatment. The aim of this study is to identify the complications and safety of EVLT as the main treatment for primary varicose vein incompetence when used concomitantly with miniphlebectomy and sclerotherapy. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 153 patients who underwent EVLT. Venous duplex scanning was performed 3 months after surgery in all the patients. The clinical outcomes were evaluated using questionnaires at the outpatient clinic or through phone calls. RESULTS: Considering the 97% satisfaction rate of EVLT, EVLT was an effective treatment for primary varicose vein. We observed complications such as paresthesia (20.9%), pain lasting more than 2 weeks (11.8%), ecchymosis or bruising (7.2%) that subsided spontaneously, superficial burn (5.2%) and phlebitis (2%) that was controlled by conservative treatment. The GSV recanalization rate 3 months after the procedure was 3.3%, resulting in a 96.7% success rate. CONCLUSION: The early results indicate that EVLT is an effective and safe procedure to eliminate the SFJ (sapheno-femoral junction) and obliteration of the GSV. However, long-term follow-up is necessary in our study. Better treatment outcomes are possible with accumulated experience and the establishment of strict indications for EVLT.

Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT) with High Ligation of Small Saphenous Vein Varicosities

PURPOSE: Endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) of great saphenous vein (GSV) varicosities is a widely accepted procedure. However, EVLT of small saphenous vein (SSV) varicosities is not so popular due to concern about sural nerve damage and popliteal thrombosis. In addition, higher rates of recanalization and recurrence of tributaries make clinicians reluctant to use EVLT for SSV incompetence. The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of SSV EVLT and the advantage of a combined high ligation and EVLT to reduce the complications and recurrence. METHOD: Between November 2003 and March 2006, 47 patients (55 limbs) with SSV incompetence and enlarged truncal varicosities, documented by duplex ultrasound, were included in the study. All patients were treated with an EVLT combined with ambulatory phlebectomy (AP) of the residual varicosities. High ligation of the sapheno-popliteal junction (SPJ) was performed in 26 limbs (47.3%, HL group); the EVLT without high ligation was performed in another 29 limbs (52.7%, NHL group). The patients were followed by clinical examinations at 1 week, 4 weeks and 12 weeks and with duplex ultrasound at 12 weeks after the operation. Symptomatic improvement, complications, recanalization of the SSV and recurrence of tributaries were recorded and compared between the two groups. RESULT: Mean follow-up was for 5.0 months. Most of the patients (95.4%) showed symptomatic improvement at 12 weeks with better venous clinical severity scores (VCSS). The overall complication rate was 27.3% (15 limbs), most of them were minor problems including 4 cases of transient sural nerve numbness (7.3%). The duplex US-confirmed saphenous vein recanalization rate and recurrence rate of tributaries at 3 months were 5.4% and 9.1%, respectively. There were no differences in the rate of symptomatic improvement and complications between the HL and NHL groups. However, the HL group showed a lower tendency for recanalization and recurrence compared to the NHL group. CONCLUSION: EVLT combined with AP might be an effective minimally invasive treatment modality for SSV varicosities with an acceptable complication rate and low recanalization rate of the saphenous veins. The simultaneous high ligation of the SPJ decreased the rates of recanalization and recurrence. Long-term data from large randomized prospective trials with more objective measure of the outcomes are needed to confirm the effectiveness and durability of this operative procedure.

Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT) Combined with Stab Phlebectomy (SP) for Lower Extremity Varicose Veins

PURPOSE: For the treatment of residual visible tributaries following minimally invasive saphenous vein ablation procedures such as endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) and radiofrequency ablation (RF), a variety of options including observation, sclerotherapy, ultrasonography-guided sclerotherapy, stab phlebectomy (SP) and additional laser therapy have been developed. We performed endovenous laser treatment combined with stab phlebectomy and we evaluated the early results to assess the efficacy and safety of this procedure. METHODS: Between February 2003 and February 2006, one hundred twelve venous insufficiencies of the lower limbs in 106 patients (46 men and 60 women; mean age: 51.7 years) were treated with EVLT combined with SP. According to the CEAP classification, 103 limbs were C2, and nine were C3/C4. 810-nm diode laser energy was delivered percutaneously into the saphenous veins (86 GSVs, 20 SSVs, 6 GSV+SSVs). All patients were followed up on an outpatient basis and duplex ultrasonography (US) was performed 3 months after operation. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 2.92 months. All the patients had symptomatic improvement and immediately returned to normal daily activities. The overall complication rate was 36.6% (41 cases), and most of them were minor problems including ecchymosis in 22, paresthesia in 8, induration in 5 and excessive pain in 2. Three cases of cellulitis or thrombophlebitis were present and this resolved with drainage and antibiotics. One case of foot drop developed, but this improved with active physiotherapy within a few months. No postprocedural symptomatic deep vein thrombosis occurred. The recurrence rate of tributaries at 3 months was 13.6%, but these were easily controlled by sclerotherapy if needed. The duplex US-confirmed saphenous vein recanalization rate at 3 months was 5.9%. CONCLUSION: EVLT combined with SP could be a novel minimally invasive modality for treating lower extremity varicose veins with an acceptable complication rate and a low recanalization rate of the saphenous veins. It could lessen the possibility of additional treatments for the residual visible tributaries and so improve the satisfaction index, along with the cosmetic and economic advantages. However, long-term follow up and postoperative duplex US with an additional objective index examination are required to confirm the effectiveness and durability of this operative procedure.

Clinical Study of Endovenous Laser Treatment in Short Saphenous Vein Varicosity

PURPOSE: With regard to the selection of varicose treatment, conventional therapy such as stripping and ligation has became unpopular but the selection of endovenous radiofrequency coagulations (RF) or endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) of the greater saphenous varicose vein have increased as they are more convenient for patient. Mipiphlebectomy (MP) and sclerotherapy (SC) have also been welcome due to the advantages of less scaring and a rapid return to work. Therefore, varicose vein of the greater saphenous vein (GSV) and its tributaries are well controlled by new modalities, such as RF, EVLT, MP and SC, but those of the short saphenous vein (SSV) are difficult to control because of the many tributaries and perforating veins. A new modality with a simultaneous EVLT +/-MP combination for the treatment of SSV varicosities has been used. METHOD: 27 cases of SSV varicosities in 24 patients, between Feb 2002 and May 2004, were included in this study. The series of patients were followed up for recurrence of varisose vein, SSV recanalization and complications. RESULT: The patients were grossly examined postoperatively, and doppler were checked, and the varicose recurrence rates at 1, 3 and 6 months were found to be 0, 7.4 (2/27) 25.9% (7/27), espectively, the Doppler SSV recanalization rates at 1, 3 and 6 months were 0, 0 and 11.1% (3/27) and tributaries recurrence rates were 0, 7.4 (2/27) and 14.8% (4/27) with recurrence controlled by MP or SC, or observed for progression only. Most patients (93.6%) were satisfied with our treatment modality, and complications, such as pain, hematoma and swelling were controlled within 1 month, with 3 cases of tingling sensation of calf that subsided spontaneously. CONCLUSION: The control of SSV varicosities wes a little hard due to the many recurrences after surgery or EVLT alone. In our study, the cases of SSV varicosity alone were collected, and combination therapy, such as EVLT with miniphlebectomy, wes effective, as indicated by the relatively few recurrences, and even in these recurrence cases, additional postoperative MP or SC was enough for patient's satisfaction.

New Trend of the Varicose Veins

Varicose vein is a very common vascular disease. The most common symptom is leg pain. Long-standing jobs, pregnancy, and a positive family history are the major ,redisposing or precipitating factors. The mainstay of treatnents includes compressive stocking, sclerotherapy, stab avulsion and stripping of vein, ligation of saphenofemorai juncion, transilluminated powered phlebectomy, VNUS, and eniovenous laser treatment.