Assessment of prevalence and severity of lower limb varicose veins according to CEAP classification

Chronic venous disease of the lower extremities (CVD) remains one of the most common vascular pathologies, significantly reducing patients’ quality of life and requiring a clearly standardised approach to assessing its severity and prevalence. The implementation of the international CEAP (Clinical, Etiological, Anatomical, and Pathophysiological) classification enables systematisation of clinical manifestations and justification of treatment strategies. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and severity of CVD based on CEAP clinical classes in patients with chronic venous insufficiency. A total of 139 patients aged 18 to 75 years with CVD at stage C3-C6 were examined. Depending on the treatment performed, patients were divided into three clinical groups. All patients underwent clinical and ultrasound examinations followed by statistical data processing. The most common clinical class was C3, identified in 47.5% of patients, while C4a was found in 28.8%, and severe forms C5-C6 accounted for 10.8% of cases. Women more often had C3-C4a forms, while men were more likely to be diagnosed with C4b-C6. The main risk factors included positive family history (60.4%), sedentary lifestyle (59.7%), occupational exposure in the form of prolonged standing or sitting (49.6%), as well as smoking, obesity, and a history of thrombotic events. No statistically significant differences in clinical severity were observed between the treatment groups. The findings allowed for outlining the epidemiological profile of patients with CVD in the stage of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), confirm the high prevalence of clinical class C3, and provide an empirical basis for further studies on the effectiveness of various options for combined surgical treatment considering reflux topography and anatomical features of venous pathology. The practical significance of this study lies in enhancing diagnostic and treatment planning through stratification of patients by CEAP clinical class, allowing for more personalised and evidence-based therapeutic decisions