Introduction:

after conventional surgery for varicose veins (crosectomy and stripping of the internal saphenous) there is a significant percentage of recurrences which cause a clinical, social and economic problem. Its etiopathogenesis is not clear.

Objective:

to investigate in patients with varicose veins (non-recurrent and recurrent), the expression of different molecules involved in the processes of neovascularization, inflammation and hypoxia.

Methods:

41 patients undergoing conventional varicose vein surgery, divided into two groups: non-recurrent varicose veins (n = 24) and recurrent varicose veins (n = 17). In both groups, the following angiogenic markers were determined in the wall of the internal saphenous vein at the level of the saphenous-femoral arch, by means of real-time RT-PCR: endoglin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A), its receptors 1 and 2 (VEGFR1 or FLTI), (VEGFR2 or KDR), and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1A). All patients signed a written consent to participate in the study.

Results:

in patients with varicose recurrence, a higher expression of endoglin (p < 0.05), VEGF-A (p < 0.05), FLT1 (p < 0.001) and KDR (p < 0.001) is appreciated in respect to the group of non-recurrent varicose veins. No significant differences were observed with respect to HIF-1A.

Conclusion:

there is an increase in angiogenesis markers, including endoglin, in samples from patients with recurrent varicose veins.

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