Ali Barzegar, Noureddin Karimi, Leila Rahnama, Mazhar Ali Bhutto, Mohammadhossen Ahrar Yazdi, Abdulrahim Sadeghi

Progression of Venous Disease is Associated with Biomechanical and Morphological Changes in the Calf Muscle Pump

Ali Barzegar, Noureddin Karimi, Leila Rahnama, Mazhar Ali Bhutto, Mohammadhossen Ahrar Yazdi, Abdulrahim Sadeghi



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ABSTRACT

Background: Chronic venous disease (CVD)  is a common progressive disorder. Calf muscle incompetence due to muscle weakness and ankle movement abnormalities is an important factor in CVD, but the biomechanical and morphological characteristics of the calf muscle remain unknown

Aim:To evaluate the biomechanical and morphological characteristics of the calf muscle in subjects with CVD and healthy controls.

Place and duration of study: Study was conducted at University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran, for the duration of six months, from January, 2021 to June, 2021.

Materials and methods:In this case-control study, sixty patients with CVD in three equal groups (mild: C1 – C2, moderate: C3 – C4, severe: C5 – C6) and 20 healthy subjects in a control group participated. The shear wave elastography (SWE)  and thickness of medial gastrocnemius muscle (GM) were measured using an ultrasonography.

Results: The results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences in SWE and thickness values between groups for medial GM (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant decrease in thickness and a significant increase in SWE in patients with CVD. A positive and negative correlation was discovered between disease grades and the medial GM SWE and thickness in patients with CVD, respectively.

Conclusion:A change in the SWE and thickness of the calf muscle compared to the control group indicates a biomechanical and morphological change in the calf muscle pump. The SWE and thickness values of the calf muscle may be valuable information in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with CVD.

Keywords: Calf muscle pump; Chronic venous disease; Thickness; Ultrasonography; Stiffness



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