RESUMEN
Objective: This study compared the risk of varicose veins [VV] among physicians, nonphysician health care providers [HCP], and the general population
Subjects and Methods: The Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database was used to identify 28,844 physicians and 26,099 nonphysi-cian HCP and an identical number of age- and sex-matched patients from the general population. Using logistic regression analyses, W risks between physicians and the general population, nonphysician HCP and the general population, and physicians and nonphysician HCP, and among physician specialists were compared by tracing their medical histories between 2007 and 2011
Results: Physicians and nonphysician HCP had cumulative W incidences of 0.12% [34/28,844] and 0.13% [33/26,099], respectively, during the 5-year period, compared to that of the general population within the same 5-year period. Physicians and nonphysician HCP didnot have a higher W risk than the general population after adjusting for deep vein thrombosis [DVT] history [adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.86; 95% confidence interval [Cl] 0.53-1.40, and AOR 1.43; 95% Cl 0.82-2.50, respectively]. Physicians did not a have higher VV risk than nonphysician HCP [AOR 0.80; 95% Cl 0.43-1.51] after adjusting for age, sex, and DVT history. Surgery had the highest incidence [0.22%] while pediatrics and emergency medicine had the lowest incidence [0%] of VV risk among physician specialists; however, the difference was not significant [all p values >0.05]
Conclusion: In this study, VV risk did not differ among physicians, non-physician HCP, and the general population