JLE

European Journal of Dermatology

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Patients’ reported quality of life in chronic venous disease in an outpatient service in Belgrade, Serbia Volume 19, numéro 6, November-December 2009

Auteurs
Department for Prevention and Treatment of Peripheral Vascular Diseases, City Service for Dermatology and Venereology, Džordža Vašingtona 17, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia, Institute of Dermatovenereology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Pasterova 2, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 4, Belgrade, Serbia

Chronic venous disease (CVD) has been reported to substantially affect patients’ quality of life (QoL). To evaluate the impact of CVD on patient-reported QoL in a patient series in Serbia, a cross-sectional study of 570 CVD patients, classified according to the CEAP clinical classification into classes (C) 1-6, was performed in a Belgrade outpatient clinic. QoL was assessed by the general short-form (SF)-36 questionnaire, and additionally by a brief CVD-specific questionnaire. The SF-36 scores for all QoL dimensions showed a progressive reduction from C1 to C6. Class 5 and 6 patients scored the lowest across all dimensions, with significant (p < 0.05) reductions in physical functioning, role-physical, general health, vitality and mental health. The score for bodily pain decreased from C1 to C4, but increased in C5 and C6 as compared to C4 patients. Interestingly, despite an increasing rate of aesthetic concerns as the disease progresses, no variations were found in the social functioning and emotional role scores across the groups. There were no age or gender differences in any QoL item across the classes. The data presented show that QoL of CVD patients decreases, particularly after the appearance of skin changes, and suggest that even patients in the early stages consider CVD a disease and not merely a cosmetic problem.