Prolonged healing of venous leg ulcers: the role of venous reflux, ulcer characteristics and mobility

Objective To assess whether a difference in venous reflux pattern, ulcer size or duration, regular medications or the daily use of walking aids can predict the healing of a chronic venous leg ulcer (VLU). Method In this prospective, randomised, single-centre study, 110 consecutive patients with chronic leg ulcers were assessed. Ninety-nine patients met the inclusion criteria and a controlled, conservative 3-month treatment period was initiated, in which 90 patients were managed with standardised local treatment combined with compression therapy. In this group, 62 VLUs healed within 12 weeks and 28 were still open after 12 weeks. The study group consisted of 22 patients with non-healed ulcers and a control group (n=28), which was selected randomly from the healers. In both groups, venous reflux profiles were assessed using colour-flow duplex imaging. Results The study and control groups did not differ in smoking habits, age, gender or daily oral medications. On average, the healing wounds were 5cm2 before ...