Outpatient treatment of venous diseases with medical compression stockings in Germany

The aim of this study was to assess the provision of medical compression stockings (MCS) to venous outpatients in daily practice, the tolerability of mediven-MCS, and the compliance and subjective and objective symptoms of patients. During the 18-month observational study in Germany, 531 venous outpatients were evaluated regarding MCSprescriptions and demographic, physical, and clinical findings. We found that MCS were mostly of compression class 2 and light textile characteristics, irrespective of the patients’ CEAP and Body Mass Index (BMI). During the study, fewer prescriptions for MCS and donning aids were dispensed than would have been possible according to patient’s needs and health insurance regulations. Findings suggesting impaired MCS-tolerability rarely occurred. Prevention of constrictions, compliance of patients, and CEAP-class (C3-patients) could be improved when MCS and donning aids were individually prescribed according to the patient’s individual CEAP, BMI, and age. In conclusion, patient- and disease-specific characteristics of venous patients require a more individual consideration regarding number and type of MCS-prescriptions.