The Burden of Depression in Patients with Symptomatic Varicose Veins

ObjectiveTo evaluate the burden and impact of depression in patients with symptomatic varicose veins.MethodsPatients with varicose veins referred to the vascular surgeons for further management, were invited to complete a validated questionnaire relating to quality of life, using the Aberdeen Varicose Veins Questionnaire (AVVQ), EuroQol-5D questionnaire (EQ-5D) and the EuroQol-Visual Analogue Score (EQ-VAS); and depressive symptoms, using the Centre of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Social, demographic, clinical (CEAP classification, venous clinical severity score (VCSS)) and venous disability score (VDS) data was also collected.ResultsOne hundred patients, mean age 52.7 years (63 females; 37 males) were recruited. Twenty-nine per cent of patients with varicose veins had depression scores suggestive of depression; no patient had previously been diagnosed or was on treatment. Depression scores were not influenced by age (p = 0.30) or gender (p = 0.60); and there was no correlation between depression scores and VCSS (p = 0.07, r2 = 0.034), or between VDS groups 1, 2 or 3 (p = 0.75). There was a weak correlation between depression scores and AVVQ (p = 0.0009, r2 = 0.12) and depression scores and EQ-5D (p < 0.0001, r2 = 0.32) and EQ-VAS (p < 0.0001, r2 = 0.25).ConclusionDepression is prevalent in patients with symptomatic varicose veins, where it is commonly undiagnosed and untreated. A more holistic approach to patients with venous disease is therefore advocated.