Impact of injection drug use on distribution and severity of chronic venous disorders.

Full Abstract

We examined chronic venous disorders (CVD) in persons who injected illicit drugs. The study design was cross-sectional, comparative stratified by age, gender, ethnicity, as well as by three types of drug use (noninjection; arm or upper body injection only; and legs with or without upper body injection). Subjects completed demographic, health, and substances abuse questionnaires and were evaluated using the clinical component of the Clinical-Etiology-Anatomy-Pathophysiology Classification. Seven hundred and thirteen participants were evaluated. Those who injected in the legs +/- arms had significantly worse CVD. Thirty-nine percent of leg +/- arm injectors vs. 4.2% or noninjectors or arm only injectors had moderate to severe CVD. Persons who injected in the legs +/- arms were 9.14 times more likely to develop venous ulcers than those that injected in the arms and upper body only and 34.64 times more likely as those who never injected. CVD was associated with injecting in the groin, legs and feet as compared with other sites. The pattern of disorders associated with leg injection is consistent with the underlying pathology of chronic venous insufficiency.

Author information

Author/s: Pieper, Barbara (B); Templin, Thomas N (TN); Kirsner, Robert S (RS); Birk, Thomas J (TJ);

Affiliation: College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA. bpieper(-atsign-)wayne.edu

Grants: R01 NR009264 (Agency:NINR NIH HHS) ; R01 NR009264-03 (Agency:NINR NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Wound repair and regeneration : official publication of the Wound Healing Society [and] the European Tissue Repair Society (Wound Repair Regen), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2009 Jul-Aug; vol 17 (issue 4) : pp 485-91

Dates: Created 2009/07/20; Completed 2009/09/24;

PMID: 19614913, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/24/2009, IMS Date: )

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