The prevalence of factor V Leiden mutation in patients with leg ulcers andvenous insufficiency

Objectives: To study the prevalence of factor V Leiden mutation in patients with chronic venous insufficiency and Venous leg ulcers, compared with a c ontrol group, and to find out whether factor V Leiden mutation is more freq uent in patients with chronic venous insufficiency and a history of deep ve nous thrombosis. Design: A case control study. Setting: Three outpatient dermatological clinics. Patients: Ninety-two patients (37 men, 55 women) with venous leg ulcers and 53 control patients (23 men, 30 women). Main Outcome Measure: Factor V Leiden mutation. Results: Factor V Leiden mutation was significantly more frequent in patien ts with chronic venous insufficiency and venous leg ulcers than in the cont rol group (23% vs 7.5%; P = .03), and the patients with factor V Leiden mut ation were more likely to have a history of venous thromboembolism (91% vs 48%, P = .002). also,recurrent deep venous thrombosis (38% vs 14%) and recu rrent leg ulcerations (9 episodes or more) occurred more frequently in the patients with factor V Leiden mutation (43% vs 19%, P = .01). No difference was observed in venous refill time or in the presence of dermatoliposclero sis and atrophia blanche. Conclusions: Factor V Leiden mutation is more frequent in patients with ven ous leg ulceration than in the control group and the general population. Pa tients with factor V Leiden mutation have an increased risk of developing d eep venous thrombosis and recurrent leg ulceration.