Bibliographic review of the recommendations of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the prescription of Medical Compression Stockings

Abstract

Compression therapy can be applied with a variety of devices, including bandages, sequential pneumatic compression systems, self-adjusting velcro devices, compression stockings, and 2-in-1 systems consisting of two socks. The main clinical indications of compression stockings are the prevention and/or treatment of symptoms of primary venous insufficiency and postrombotic syndrome, as well as lymphedema and lipedema. Only a minority of patients who would need long-term compression therapy are prescribed. Inexperience, lack of training and the large amount of different materials are considered as obstacles by the professional to the recommendation of stockings. On the other hand, there is also a low therapeutic adherence on the part of patients. The objective of this work was to identify and analyze the recommendations offered by the main guides and documents based on scientific evidence to help healthcare professionals prescribe the most appropriate stocking for each person and achieve the best results. To this end, 7 documents based on scientific evidence have been consulted. The knowledge gaps detected, coupled with the confu-sion that arises from the variety of types of stockings available, the diversity of clinical conditions that may require their use and the variability of personal situations that each patient may present, make the recommendations of the guidelines currently in force insufficient to resolve the doubts that arise when prescribing compression stockings.