Varicosis Large people are more likely to suffer from varicose veins

Varicose veins are more common in large people

The bigger a person is, the more likely he is to get varicose veins. This is the result of a US study in which the genes of more than 400,000 people were examined.

Widely spread disease picture

Varicose veins are widespread: "Between the ages of 25 and 74, approximately every second European has varicose veins," explains the German Society for Vascular Surgery and Vascular Medicine (DGG) on its website. Although the disease can be life-threatening in extreme cases, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), surprisingly little is known about it. A US research team has now gained more insight into the disease and has also found that body size is a risk factor.

In a recent study it could be confirmed that in addition to known risk factors such as overweight, smoking and venous thrombosis and the body size is a risk factor for varicose veins. (Image: zlikovec / fotolia.com)

Causes of varicose veins

According to the DGG, one of the main causes of varicose veins is inherited connective tissue weakness, with weakening of the venous wall and venous valves, resulting in impaired blood flow back into the superficial and deep veins of the leg.

According to the experts, this suffering is mainly promoted by overweight, a lot of standing work in certain occupations, pregnancy and lack of exercise.

In a recent study, researchers from the School of Medicine at Stanford University in the state of California have been studying the causes of varicose veins.

"We have confirmed that deep venous thrombosis leads to increased risk," said Nicholas Leeper of Stanford University in a statement.

But according to recent research results, the reverse applies: "Varicose veins pose a risk to these blood clots," says the study author.

The study also confirmed that leg surgery, family history, physical inactivity, smoking and hormone therapies are risk factors.

But they also found a previously unknown risk factor: body size.

Body size identified as a risk factor

As the scientists in the study, published in the journal Circulation, found, larger people are more likely to develop varicose veins than smaller ones.

To get their results, the researchers studied the genes of more than 400,000 people. The data came from the British "UK Biobank".

"Our findings strongly suggest that size is a cause, not just a correlated factor, but an underlying mechanism that leads to varicose veins," said co-author Erik Ingelsson.

According to the experts, the district of the largest people fell 74 percent more frequently than the quarter of the smallest. Body size was the fifth most important risk factor.

The study also identified 30 genes associated with varicose vein disease and a strong genetic correlation with deep vein thrombosis.

Hope for new therapies

Although varicose veins are incredibly prevalent, only "shockingly little is known about biology," said medical student Alyssa Flores.

"There are no medical therapies that can prevent or reverse them as soon as they are there," the study author continued.

The treatment is mainly limited to surgical procedures such as laser treatments.

"We hope that we can develop new therapies with this new information," says the scientist. (Ad)