Underprovision of Medical Compression Therapy: Retrospective Analysis Based on Statutory Health Insurance Data on Venous Leg Ulcers, Chronic Venous Disease and Comorbidities.
Chronic venous diseases (CVD), including venous leg ulcers (VLU), represent a significant health burden. Despite the central role of compression therapy in current treatment guidelines, recent evidence suggests substantial gaps in provision. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using anonymized claims data from 3.35 million insured individuals. Persons with VLU or CVD in 2017 were observed over 5 years. Compression therapy, comorbidities, antibiotic prescriptions, and physician contacts were analysed. The prevalence was 0.50% for VLU (n = 16 615) and 7.27% for CVD (n = 243 681). Across 5 years, 75.85% (VLU) and 53.10% (CVD) received compression therapy. However, 24.15% of persons with VLU were not treated with compression therapy. Persons receiving compression were predominantly female and older (VLU: 74.13 years, 59.56% women; CVD: 68.55 years, 70.86% women), exhibited a higher mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI [95% CI]: VLU 4.09 [4.03-4.15], CVD 2.67 [2.65-2.68] vs. VLU 3.14 [3.05-3.23], CVD 2.12 [2.11-2.14] without compression). In the first year post-diagnosis, 51.43% VLU persons with compression received antibacterials (vs. 36.28%). The data confirm prior estimates of disease prevalence and highlight a substantial gap in the documented use of guideline-compliant compression therapy, especially in VLU. High multimorbidity and care intensity underscore the need for better integration of compression therapy in routine practice.
Authors
Stücker Stücker, Rabe Rabe, Hagenström Hagenström, Hirsch Hirsch, Möckel Möckel, Sauer Sauer
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