THE IMPACT OF MODIFYING OCCUPATIONAL RISK FACTORS ON THE OUTCOME OF TREATMENT OF CHRONIC VENOUS ULCER.

Venous hypertension and chronic venous disease (CVD) occur frequently in the working population. Several epidemiological studies have shown statistically significant association between CVD and duration of standing and sitting at work.This study evaluates the impact of modifying and correcting different occupational risk factors on the outcome of treatment of chronic venous ulcer. Patients were divided into 2 groups: group A (17 patients) were subjected to combinedconservative treatment followed by surgical treatment and group B (15 patients) were treated only by surgical treatment. The conservative treatment consisted of educational sessions on occupational risk factors and compression therapy.The results showed similar figures of demographics, risk factors, clinical characteristics and current occupation in the studied groups. In group A, all patients healed; (2/17)showed short term healing and (15/17) showed long term healing. While in group B(3/15) patients showed no healing, (5/15) showed short term healing and (7/15) showed long term healing. The differences being statistically significant (X2 =7.1, P=0.02) This indicates that for treatment of indolent chronic venous ulceration modifying occupational risk factors and adverse lifestyle behaviors will have a significant impacton the results of treatment.