A systematic review of gender and ethnicity in varicose vein and venous leg ulcer management.
Eric Lee, Marwah Salih, Matthew Tan et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review evaluated the impact of gender and ethnicity on the management of varicose veins and venous leg ulcers (VLUs) by analyzing major randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from the past 15 years. It found that no RCTs reported outcome differences based on these demographic factors, highlighting a significant gap in the literature. A total of 15 varicose vein studies and 14 VLU studies were included, with 5355 and 2180 participants, respectively.
Key findings
- 68.2% of participants in varicose vein studies were female, while 51.1% of VLU participants were male.
- Only two varicose vein studies and one VLU study reported patient ethnicity.
- No RCTs stratified results by gender or ethnicity, indicating a critical gap in research.
- The review suggests the need for better demographic reporting in venous research.
Why it matters
Understanding the influence of gender and ethnicity on treatment outcomes is essential for developing equitable and personalized care strategies in vascular health. This review underscores the need for more inclusive research to address potential disparities.