Changes in venous refilling time from childhood to adulthood in subjects with apparently normal veins

Objective Measuring venous refilling time by photoplethysmography is one of the most commonly used methods in venous diagnostics. Numerous studies have been done in adults to investigate its suitability to assess the overall venous calf pump function and to discriminate healthy subjects from patients with venous disease. The present study investigated any changes in the behavior of venous calf pump function from childhood to adulthood in subjects with healthy veins. Methods The study population consisted of 73 healthy (CEAP clinical classes C0 and C1) subjects (52 females, 21 males) who were all of the same age group (10 to 12 years old). It was a representative selection of the participants in a comprehensive longitudinal vein study known as the Bochum study (BO). The data of this study were obtained from (original) pupils of 11 secondary schools in the city of Bochum, Germany at four different periods (BO I 1982-1983, 10 to 12 years; BO II 1986-1987, 14 to 16 years; BO III 1991, 18 to 20 years; and BO IV 2001-2002, 29 to 31 years), 1990 Results The distribution patterns of venous refilling time showed a successive shift to the right from childhood to adulthood. The distribution peak was in the range of 10.1 to 20 seconds in BO I, broadened to 10.1 to 30 seconds in BO II, and changed to 40.1 to 50 seconds in BO III and BO IV. The median values increased from 24 seconds to more than 45 seconds. When we compared the two subgroups classified as C0 and C1, there was no significant difference in the behavior of their venous refilling time. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first time the physiologic changes of venous calf pump function have been documented in a longitudinal study in young volunteers with healthy veins. The median venous refilling time successively lengthened, corresponding to a maturing of the venous calf pump function during adolescence and then stayed on a stable level. Therefore, measurements of venous calf pump function are not a means for assessing malfunction of the venous system during childhood and adolescence.