Impact of physiological aging on lower limb venous compliance

AimWe aimed to evaluate changes in venous physiologic parameters with aging in healthy volunteers.MethodsSixty subjects (29 women, 31 men, mean age 63.1 ± 4.4, 24 subjects aged over 75 years) with no history of deep venous thromboembolism, venous insufficiency, deep venous thrombosis, peripheral arteriopathy, lower limb edema, atrial fibrillation or acute medical condition within the last 7 days were enrolled. Subjects remained in the supine position for 15 min before and during data acquisition. Mercury strain gauge was put around the calf and connected to the EC6 plethysmograph. We measured the venous parameters by inflating the collecting cuff up to 50 mmHg pressure for 4 min. The data were implemented in the NIVP3 software to measure compliance, maximum venous outflow (MVO) and half-emptying time (T1/2).ResultsThe venous capacitance, compliance and MVO significantly decreased with age (P = 0.023, P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively, ANOVA) while T1/2 increased with age (P = 0.02, ANOVA). There was a negative correlation between age and respectively, compliance (rs = −0.21, P = 0.01) and MVO (rs = −0.25, P = 0.0003), and a positive correlation between T1/2 and age (rs = 0.14, P = 0.0003). Using logistic regression analysis, calf circumference (P = 0.0001), venous capacitance (P = 0.012) and MVO (P = 0.033) were the only variables independently associated to age.ConclusionUsing a sensitive, non-invasive, painless, reproducible and easily repeatable computerized method, we successfully forecasted changes of venous physiological parameters over age and provided valuable information in the field of physiological aging.