Abstract: Objective  To explore the correlation between the clinical classification of clinical etiology anatomy pathophysiology(CEAP) of varicose veins of the lower extremity and the blood flow parameters of inferior vena cava(IVC) evaluated by ultrasonography.
Methods  A total of 109 patients with varicose veins of the lower extremity were randomly selected as case group. According to the clinical classification of CEAP and skin lesions caused by varicose veins, the cases were divided into group A(classes C1 to C3, n=57) and group B(classes C4 to C6, n=52). And 27 matched healthy subjects during the same period were selected as the control group(group C). The gender, age, height, and body weight were recorded, and the body surface area and body mass index(BMI) of all the cases were calculated. Using Ultrasonography, the long and short diameter, circumference and cross sectional area were measured on the transversal plane of lower segment of the IVC. The maximum velocity and flow volume of IVC were calculated on its longitudinal section.
Results  There was no significant difference in gender, age and height among the three groups(P＞0.05). The body weight, body surface area and BMI of group A and group C were obviously lower than those of group B(P＜0.05), whereas the differences of the above parameters between group A and group C were not statistically different(P＞0.05). In group A and B, the long diameter, circumference of IVC were remarkably larger than those of group C(P＜0.05), while there was no significant difference between group A and B(all P＞0.05). The flow volume of IVC in group B was higher than that in group C(P＜0.05), while compared with groups B and C, no significant difference was found in group A(P＞0.05). There were no markedly difference in short diameter, cross sectional area and the maximum velocity of IVC among the three groups(P＞0.05). The clinical classification of CEAP was positively correlated with the body weight, body surface area and BMI(P＜0.05), but not correlated with gender, age and height(P＞0.05). And it was positively correlated with the long diameter, circumference and flow volume of IVC(P＜0.05), but was not correlated with short diameter, cross sectional area and the maximum velocity(P＞0.05).
Conclusion  Varicose vein of lower extremity is related to body weight, body surface area and BMI. In the early stage of CEAP clinical classification, the morphology of IVC is changed, specifically long diameter and circumference of transverse section that are increased obviously, while the blood flow volume is increased significantly in the higher grade with skin lesions.

Key words: varicose veins, ultrasonography, blood flow parameter