Original ArticlesLeg ulcer etiology—A cross sectional population study☆,☆☆
Section snippets
Patients and methods
In the first phase, 827 patients with current leg ulcers were registered in Skaraborg county, which has a total population of approximately 270,800 inhabitants. The age distribution within the population studied was similar to that of the total Swedish population, with approximately 18% of the population above retirement age (>64 years). The only inclusion criterion used was the following: an open wound below the knee (including foot ulcers) that did not heal or was supposed to heal within a
Results
Three hundred eighty-two patients had 463 ulcerated legs. The age and sex distribution of these patients corresponded well with that of the 827 patients in the original total survey (Table I). Given ages represent age at the time of the original postal survey.Empty Cell Phase I Phase II Men 301 147 Women 526 235 Median age 77 yr 77 yr Men 76 yr 75 yr Women 78 yr 78 yr Age range (13-98) (13-97)
Discussion
To our knowledge this study is the only existing population study on patients with leg ulcers, including foot ulcers, where both venous and arterial circulation have been assessed by means of “objective” methods. It is also the first study presenting an etiologic classification. The larger study by Callam et al.5, 6 was designed mainly to assess arterial impairment in ulcerated legs, and associated venous insufficiency was only estimated based on clinical examination. In the second comparable
Acknowledgements
We thank Mrs Ingvor Fransson, our research assistant, for help with data handling and for skillful technical assistance, and Associate Professor Torgil Hallböök, head of the Department of Surgery at Karnsjukhuset, for valuable support.
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Supported by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (00759), the Swedish Heart Lung Foundation, the Skaraborg County Research and Development Fund, Coloplast Company, and Salus Insurance Company.
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Reprint requests: Olle Nelzén, MD, Department of Surgery, Karnsjukhuset, S-541 85 Skovde, Sweden.