Sclerotherapy is a safe method of treatment of chronic venous disorders in older patients: A prospective and comparative study of consecutive patients.

Objectives An aging population requires evaluation of methods of treatment for older patients. Our objective was to evaluate the indications, practical modalities, safety and tolerability of sclerotherapy in patients 75 years of age and older (group 1) and compare with a control group of patients 18 to74 years of age (group 2). Method This observational, multicentre, prospective and comparative study was conducted by the French Society of Phlebology. Each centre collected in 10 to 20 patients ≥75 years of age and an equal number of patients <75 years of age treated by sclerotherapy, the treatment indication, the patient's personal history, the CEAP clinical class, the type of the veins being treated, the characteristics of sclerotherapy and the complications (immediately after treatment and at one-month follow-up). Results Population: In total, 418 patients were enrolled in 15 centres: 176 patients in group 1 (mean: 79.4 years) and 242 patients in group 2 (mean: 52.7 years).CEAP clinical classes C4, C5 and C6, history of deep vein thrombosis (12.5%) and superficial vein thrombosis (11.9%), long-term anticoagulant therapy (9.1%) and antiplatelet therapy (16.5%) were more frequent in older patients.All types of veins were treated from saphenous veins to telangiectasias. Sclerotherapy features: There was no difference in concentration of the sclerosing agents. When foam sclerotherapy was used (84% of patients), the injected volume was lower in group 1. COMPLICATIONS: One vasovagal syncope occurred in group 1. One asymptomatic distal deep vein thrombosis, confined to the Medial Gastrocnemius Veins, was reported in both groups at one-month follow-up. Conclusions This study shows the feasibility and safety of sclerotherapy in older patients, with no specific complications nor need for special precautions.

Predictive factors for concurrent deep-vein thrombosis and symptomatic venous thromboembolic recurrence in case of superficial venous thrombosis. The OPTIMEV study.

Superficial venous thrombosis (SVT) prognosis is debated and its management is highly variable. It was the objective of this study to assess predictive risk factors for concurrent deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) at presentation and for three-month adverse outcome. Using data from the prospective multicentre OPTIMEV study, we analysed SVT predictive factors associated with concurrent DVT and three-month adverse outcome. Out of 788 SVT included, 227 (28.8%) exhibited a concurrent DVT at presentation. Age >75years (odds ratio [OR]=2.9 [1.5-5.9]), active cancer (OR=2.6 [1.3-5.2]), inpatient status (OR=2.3 [1.2-4.4]) and SVT on non-varicose veins (OR=1.8 [1.1-2.7]) were significantly and independently associated with an increased risk of concurrent DVT. 39.4% of SVT on non-varicose veins presented a concurrent DVT. However, varicose vein status did not influence the three-month prognosis as rates of death, symptomatic venous thromboembolic (VTE) recurrence and major bleeding were equivalent in both non-varicose and varicose SVTs (1.4% vs. 1.1%; 3.4% vs. 2.8%; 0.7% vs. 0.3%). Only male gender (OR=3.5 [1.1-11.3]) and inpatient status (OR=4.5 [1.3-15.3]) were independent predictive factors for symptomatic VTE recurrence but the number of events was low (n=15, 3.0%). Three-month numbers of deaths (n=6, 1.2%) and of major bleedings (n=2, 0.4%) were even lower, precluding any relevant interpretation. In conclusion, SVT on non-varicose veins and some classical risk factors for DVT were predictive factors for concurrent DVT at presentation. As SVT remains mostly a clinical diagnosis, these data may help selecting patients deserving an ultrasound examination or needing anticoagulation while waiting for diagnostic tests. Larger studies are needed to evaluate predictive factors for adverse outcome.