Relationship between Arterial Inflow Rate and Venous Filling Index of the Lower Extremities Assessed by Air Plethysmography in Subjects with or without Axial Reflux in the Great Saphenous Vein.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between arterial inflow rate (AIR) and venous filling index (VFI) in limbs with or without varicose veins, assessed by air plethysmography (APG).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 142 patients (142 limbs) visiting our clinic with leg complaints, but without arterial and venous disease, were defined as the normal group (NG), and 65 patients (65 limbs) with leg varices were defined as the varicose vein group (VG). Both groups underwent duplex ultrasonography and APG to identify venous reflux and measure hemodynamic parameters, respectively. Examinations were performed at the first visit in the NG and before and one month after treatment in the VG.
RESULTS: A strong correlation between resting AIR and VFI was found in the NG (r = 0.72) and postoperative VG (r = 0.71). Twenty-two and three limbs in the NG and postoperative VG, respectively, had a VFI over 2.0 mL/s because of the high AIR. In the VG, AIR tended to decrease after treatment (P >0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: High leg AIR lead to high VFI measured by APG. AIR and VFI should be measured at the same session to assess venous hemodynamic changes after varicose vein treatment when residual venous reflux cannot be diagnosed with duplex ultrasonography.