PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC VENOUS INSUFFICIENCY: ITS RELATION WITH DISEASE SEVERITY, PAIN, FATIQUE, AND FUNCTIONALITY

Purpose: Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a progressive disease of the venous system caused by a variety of factors that impair the return of venous blood to the heart. The aim of the study was to evaluate the physical activity level in patients with CVI and its relation with disease severity, pain, fatigue, functionality. Methods: In all, 105 CVI patients (28.6% male, 71.4% female, mean age was 44.91 +/- 10.74 years) were enrolled in this study. Physical activity was evaluated with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF); disease severity, by Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS); the intensity of pain was determined by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS); fatigue level with the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS); functionality was assessed with the Lower Extremity Function Scale (LEFS). Results: There was a significant negative correlation between IPAQ-SF-vigorous and VCSS, VASrest, VASactivity, VASnight (r: -0.818, p<0.001; r:0.-445, p:0.007; r:-0.392, p:0.020; r:-0.363, p:0.032, respectively). A negative correlation was found between IPAQ-SF-moderate and VCSS, VASactivity (r:0.473, p:0.004; r:-0.553, p:0.001, respectively). In addition, there was a negative correlation between IPAQ-SF total score and VCSS, VASrest, VASactivity, and a positive correlation with LEFS (r:-0.945, p<0.001; r:-0.368, p:0.030; r: -0.568, p<0.001; r:0.438, p: 0.009, respectively). Conclusion: An increased level of physical activity was found to be associated with disease severity, pain, and functionality in patients with CVI.