H. Chalchal et al., Impaired venous hemodynamics in a minority of patients with chronic leg ulcers due to sickle cell anemia, VASA, 30(4), 2001, pp. 277-279
Background: Chronic or recurrent leg ulceration occurs in 25% of sickle cel
l anemia patients, but not in the remaining 75%. Doppler studies of venous
function were normal in 16 sickle cell anemia patients with leg ulcers.
Patients and methods: Venous Duplex Ultrasound was used to study 33 sickle
cell anemia patients with chronic leg ulcers.
Results: Six of the 33 patients had venous reflux in at least one leg.
Conclusions: Venous insufficiency may contribute to the development of leg
ulcers in a minority of sickle cell anemia patients. A minority of sickle c
ell anemia patients with chronic leg ulcers can be shown to have leg venous
reflux by duplex ultrasound imaging.