2003 Volume 14 Issue 5 Pages 353-359
Importance of functional assessment for the management of chronic venous disease (CVD) has been gradually recognized, according to recent advanced technology in noninvasive modalities. We, therefore, reviewed our previous findings with reference to venous function using air plethysmography (APG) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), trying to clarify the clinical significance of noninvasive diagnostic tools in the management of patients with CVD. The first study examining limbs with primary varicose veins revealed that the ambulatory venous retention index (AVRI) obtained from NIRS and the venous filling index (VFI) derived from APG were significantly different between groups of limbs with different clinical severities of disease. Moreover, the sensitivity and specificity of AVRI for detecting severe disease were superior to those of VFI. The second study was conducted to determine the diagnostic acumen of NIRS and APG in detection of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). As a result, NIRS was more sensitive than APG for detecting isolated calf DVT, while both tests identified proximal DVT in all limbs. We believe that an accurate evaluation by use of current noninvasive technique would yield a better understanding of venous hemodynamics in CVD and ultimately lead to better patient care.
