Chronic ulcer of the leg: clinical history.

TLDR

Healing of chronic leg ulcers is difficult, and preventing recurrence poses a greater challenge. A population survey of 600 chronic leg ulcer patients involved detailed history and examination. Among the 600 patients, 22 % developed ulcers before age 40 with equal sex incidence, while after 40 women predominated; ulcers were more common on the left leg in women, 26 % occurred outside the typical medial goiter area, the median ulcer duration was nine months with 20 % unhealed after two years, and 66 % had recurrences lasting over five years.

Abstract

Six hundred patients with chronic leg ulcers were studied by detailed history and examination as part of a population survey. In 22% ulceration began before the age of 40, and in this group the sex incidence was equal. Over age 40 there was an increasing preponderance of women. Ulcers were significantly more common in the left leg in women but not in men. The site of 26% of ulcers did not include the classical medial goiter area. The median duration of the ulceration at the time of the survey was nine months and 20% had not healed in over two years. The great majority of patients had had recurrence, 66% having had episodes of ulceration for more than five years. Healing of ulcers is a serious problem, but preventing recurrence is the greater challenge.