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The objective of this study was to assess patient, wound, care, and reflux characteristics of venous leg ulcers (VLUs) to update and improve knowledge on disease etiology, identify barriers to healing, and improve treatment.Patients diagnosed with venous leg ulcers treated at the Stanford Advanced Wound Care Center between 2018 to 2019 were identified from the Healogics iHeal database. We identified 327 VLU entries, of which 133 were patients that had multiple or recurring wounds. An additional 27 patients were labeled as misdiagnosis, resulting in a final patient sample of 167. Patient demographics, wound, care, and ultrasound data for these patients was extracted from the Stanford electronic medical records regarding characteristics. The initial data analysis suggested possible differences in VLU characteristics depending on patient age and BMI, which was then further analyzed.Of the 167 VLU patients assessed, 53.9% were male, and 46.1% were female. The mean age was 74.7 years, and the average body mass index (BMI) was 30.2 kg/mVLU pathology appears to differ depending on patient demographics and characteristics. Different drivers may influence disease cause, progression, and prognosis, making a standard approach to VLUs difficult. Our findings suggest that identifying different subtypes of VLUs and adapting an algorithm of care with a personalized treatment may help optimize management of these patients. |
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