Impaired venous hemodynamics in a minority of patients with chronic leg ulcers due to sickle cell anemia

Background: Chronic or recurrent leg ulceration occurs in 25% of sickle cell anemia patients, but not in the remaining 75%. Doppler studies of venous function were normal in 16 sickle cell anemia patients with leg ulcers. Patients and methods: Venous Duplex Ultrasound was used to study 33 sickle cell anemia patients with chronic leg ulcers. Results: Six of the 33 patients had venous reflux in at least one leg. Conclusions: Venous insufficiency may contribute to the development of leg ulcers in a minority of sickle cell anemia patients. A minority of sickle cell anemia patients with chronic leg ulcers can be shown to have leg venous reflux by duplex ultrasound imaging.