Background: Aim of this study was to analyze the effect of medical compression stockings (MCS) class I (according to the German classification "RAL-GZ 387"; 18-21 mmHg) on symptoms in patients with uncomplicated varicose veins (C2s-C4a). Patients and methods: We conducted a randomized (1:1), controlled, clinical trial enrolling patients with uncomplicated varicose veins (CEAP: C2s-C4a). The study consisted of a one-week baseline period and a four-week follow-up period with MCS treatment (compression class I, 18-21 mmHg) in the intervention group and non-treatment in the control group. The frequency and severity of symptoms on the leg including heaviness, pain, swelling, throbbing and itching were measured every evening using an app-based measuring tool. The primary endpoint was the reduction of symptoms during compression therapy, measured by a symptom sum score over a period of 5 weeks ranging from 0 (no symptoms during the day) to 25 (symptoms all day). Results: Patients treated with MCS (n = 25) showed a significant improvement in the overall symptom sum score from 8.90 ± 4.26 at baseline to 6.37 ± 3.55 at follow-up (p = 0.004) whereas for patients in the control group without MCS (n = 25) the overall score remained unchanged (baseline: 7.46 ± 3.71; follow-up: 7.67 ± 4.74; p = 0.293). The intervention group reported significant improvements in symptom frequency scores for pain, leg swelling and feeling of leg heaviness (p ≤ 0.002). In the control group the score for pain significantly increased during the follow-up period. Leg itching was numerically more frequent in patients with MCS. Conclusion: This study indicates that medical compression stockings class I (according to the German classification "RAL-GZ 387"; 18-21 mmHg) significantly improve the frequency and severity of symptoms in patients with uncomplicated varicose veins (CEAP: C2s-C4a).
Keywords: Compression therapy; chronic venous disease; quality of life; varicose veins.