***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: OBJECTIVE To determine whether a period of one or three weeks of compression following varicose vein surgery influenced the outcome . DESIGN R and omised controlled trial . METHOD 300 patients aged between 18 - 80 years underwent unilateral varicose vein surgery in a Day Procedure Unit .  Compression b and aging was applied post-operatively for three days . Patients then wore graduated elastic compression stockings r and omised to a period of either one or three weeks . Patients were assessed by question naire on pain scores at rest and during mobilisation for up to six weeks , total analgesic consumption , duration of time off work , any complications , and patient perception of cosmetic results at various periods up to 12 weeks following surgery . RESULTS The mean pain score reported by patients over 6 weeks was similar in the two groups ( 1 week group : mean 2.18 , three week group : mean 1.87 ) . The 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) for the mean difference in pain was ( -0.05 - 0.66 ) . Analysis of the pain curves at 1 week , 4 weeks and 6 weeks , showed equivalence at 4 and 6 weeks , but not for 1 week , with the group wearing stockings for only one week complaining of more pain for this period . A significant increase in the total number of analgesia tablets consumed was also found in the group wearing stockings for only one week . No significant differences were found in the other secondary endpoints - return to work ( categorised as < 2 weeks , 2 - 6 weeks or 6 - 12 weeks ) , patient satisfaction or post-operative complications . CONCLUSION We found no benefit in wearing compression stockings for more than one week following uncomplicated high saphenous ligation with stripping of the great saphenous vein with respect to post-operative pain , number of complications , time to return to work , or patient satisfaction for up to 12 weeks following surgery OBJECTIVES This study aims to compare the efficacy and side effects of foam sclerotherapy of the saphenous veins with or without post-treatment compression using graduated elastic stockings . DESIGN This is a prospect i ve open r and omised controlled trial conducted in two centres . PATIENTS AND METHODS Sixty patients with incompetent great ( GSV ) or small saphenous veins ( SSV ) underwent ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy .  R and omisation was conducted immediately after sclerotherapy to two parallel groups , one ( CG ) with compression stockings ( 15 - 20 mmHg worn during the day , for 3 weeks ) and the other ( WCG ) without compression .  Efficacy of sclerotherapy and all of the side effects were assessed , including side effects in the treated region . On days 14 and 28 , clinical and duplex ultrasound ( DUS ) assessment s were performed by independent experts . Patients also completed quality of life ( QOL ) , symptom question naires and provided satisfaction scores .  RESULTS Five men and 55 women ranging in age from 32 to 78 ( mean 57 years ) years were included : 29 in the WCG and 31 in the CG group . On day 28 , abolition of venous reflux and occlusion of the vein was obtained in 100 % of the cases in both groups . The length of the occluded vein was the same in both groups ( mean 36 cm for the GSV and 30 cm for the SSV ) as was the mean diameter of the occluded vein ( 5 mm ) . Symptoms and QOL question naires showed equivalent improvement in both groups on day 28 compared to pre-treatment assessment s. Side effects were few with no statistical difference between the two groups . Patient satisfaction scores were high in both groups for the outcome of sclerotherapy results , and good or very good for compression in 50 % of the CG cases . CONCLUSION We found no difference between compression and control groups when comparing efficacy , side effects , satisfaction scores , symptoms and QOL . Further studies are required to establish the role of compression in sclerotherapy and to evaluate other compression strategies The results of a multicenter , double-blind clinical trial indicate that the use of light support pantyhose significantly reduced the incidence of aches , swelling and fatigue in the lower legs of healthy women . A trend toward reduced foot and leg circumference was noted ; however , it did not correlate significantly with subjective symptomatology AIM The aim of this study was to review published literature concerning the use of compression treatments in the management of venous and lymphatic diseases and establish where reliable evidence exists to justify the use of medical compression and where further research is required to address areas of uncertainty . METHODS The authors search ed medical literature data bases and review ed their own collection s of papers , monographs and books for papers providing information about the effects of compression and r and omized clinical trials of compression devices . Papers were classified in accordance with the recommendations of the GRADE group to categorize their scientific reliability . Further classification was made according to the particular clinical problem that was addressed in the papers . The review included papers on compression stockings , b and ages and intermittent pneumatic compression devices . RESULTS The International Compression Club met once in Vienna and corresponded by email in order to reach an agreement of how the data should be interpreted . A wide range of compression levels was reported to be effective . Low levels of compression 10 - 30 mmHg applied by stockings are effective in the management of telangiectases after sclerotherapy , varicose veins in pregnancy , the prevention of edema and deep vein thrombosis ( DVT ) . High levels of compression produced by b and aging and strong compression stockings ( 30 - 40 mmHg ) are effective at healing leg ulcers and preventing progression of post-thrombotic syndrome as well as in the management of lymphedema . In some areas no reliable evidence was available to permit recommendations of level of compression or duration of treatment . These included : management of varicose veins to prevent progression , following surgical treatment or sclerotherapy for varicose veins , and the level of compression required to treat acute DVT . CONCLUSION This review shows that whilst good evidence for the use of compression is available in some clinical indications , there is much still to be discovered . Little is know about dosimetry in compression , for how long and at what level compression should be applied . The differing effects of elastic and short-stretch compression are also little understood OBJECTIVES Postoperative limb compression is widely used after venous surgery to prevent thromboembolism and to reduce hemorrhage , edema , hematoma , and pain . Only limited studies have been published regarding the most adequate postoperative compression therapy after varicose vein surgery . This study evaluated the effectiveness of a new stocking kit used for postoperative limb compression . METHODS The study compared the clinical practicability , ease to use , effectiveness , and safety of a postoperative stocking system ( 23 to 32 mmHg at the ankle ) with compression b and ages ( control group ) . This prospect i ve , r and omized , open-label clinical trial , was performed in three Italian centers specializing in venous surgery . Sixty consecutive patients ( classification CEAP C₂,(S ) ) underwent unilateral varicose vein surgery at one of the three centers . After surgery , patients were r and omized for postoperative compression therapy with a new stocking system ( Sigvaris Postoperative Kit ; Ganzoni Sigvaris Corp , Winterthur , Switzerl and ) or st and ard stretch b and ages ( 30 patients per group ) . Primary end points were incidence of venous thromboembolism , hemorrhage , limb hematoma , or edema . RESULTS No episodes of venous thromboembolism were observed . The mean area of thigh hematoma on postoperative days 7 and 14 was 75.70 cm² and 2.93 cm² , respectively , for the stocking group , and 92.97 cm² and 5.42 cm² for the b and age group ( not significant ) . On postoperative day 7 , edema was found in 50 % of the patients wearing b and ages and in 20 % of the patients wearing the stocking kit , which was a significant reduction . No statistical difference was recorded for postoperative pain ; however , better patient acceptance and quality of life after the operation were recorded in the stocking group . CONCLUSION Patients can be effectively treated with the Sigvaris Postoperative Kit . Patients treated with stockings have less edema compared with st and ard b and aging , and the application of the stocking kit improves patient quality of life and compliance with postoperative compression therapy Objective To prospect ively study quality -of-life ( QoL ) benefits comparing compression stockings to sclerotherapy in subjects with symptomatic reticular veins and telangiectasia . Methods Fifty-eight consecutive female patients with normal saphenous and deep venous systems and venous dysfunction score ( VDS ) ≥4 were r and omized to either sclerotherapy ( N = 29 ) or thigh high 20–30 mmHg compression stockings ( N = 29 ) . Following a trial of compression , subjects in the compression arm were eligible to crossover to the sclerotherapy arm . Patient-reported QoL data were acquired using a modified Aberdeen Varicose Vein Question naire in five stages , initial severity ( T0 ) , following compression trial ( T1 ) , after reticular vein sclerotherapy ( T2 ) , approximately three months after sclerotherapy for telangiectasia ( T3 ) and the 12-month mark ( T4 ) . Result For patients in the compression arm , four key symptoms including aching , pain , leg cramps and restlessness were significantly reduced , while patients in the sclerotherapy arm of treatment reported broad symptom relief in all key symptoms assessed . Conclusion Isolated refluxing reticular and telangiectatic vein disease may cause QoL impairment in select patients and represent far more than a cosmetic concern . Compression therapy  offers relief of aching , pain , leg cramping and restlessness in patients with isolated refluxing reticular veins and telangiectasia . Sclerotherapy of reticular veins offers a statistically superior broad spectrum relief of symptoms , while additional sclerotherapy of residual telangiectasia in this cohort demonstrated additive relief of aching and pain . Symptom assessment s at 12 months suggest ongoing symptom relief following sclerotherapy The physiological effects of elastic compression stockings on  venous disorders of the leg have been studied in three groups of 10 patients . These patients were divided by examination and ascending venography into those with : ( a ) a normal venous system in the leg , ( b ) superficial varicose veins and ( c ) a post‐phlebitic limb QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY To determine the efficacy of compression stockings in preventing  emergent varicose veins in pregnancy . METHODS A prospect i ve r and omised controlled study in the outpatient department of the University Hospital of Zurich , Switzerl and , including women with uncomplicated pregnancies < 12 weeks at outset of study . A  no-stockings control group ( n = 15 ) was compared with two treatment groups : group 1 ( n = 12 ) wore compression class I stockings ( 18 - 21 mm Hg ) on the left leg and class II stockings ( 25 - 32 mm Hg ) on the right ; in group 2 ( n = 15 ) , the compression classes were reversed . Stockings were worn from study entry to term . Endpoints were emergence and worsening of superficial varicose veins , long saphenous vein reflux at the sapheno-femoral junction , and leg symptoms ( pain , discomfort , cramps ) during pregnancy . RESULTS Both classes of compression stockings failed to prevent the emergence of superficial varicose veins . However , long saphenous vein reflux at the sapheno-femoral junction was observed in the third trimester in only 1/27 treated women vs. 4/15 controls ( p = 0.047 ) ; in addition , more treated women reported improved leg symptoms ( 7/27 vs. 0/15 controls ; p = 0.045 ) . Emergent varicose changes , however , did not differ significantly ( 7/14 controls vs. 5/12 in group 1 and 8/14 in group 2 ; 3x3 table , Fisher 's exact = 0.94 ) . CONCLUSIONS Although compression stockings do not prevent the emergence of gestational varicose veins , they significantly decrease the incidence of long saphenous vein reflux at the sapheno-femoral junction and improve leg symptoms . Our results also suggest that superficial varices and deep venous insufficiency may have a different aetiology PURPOSE A new intermittent pneumatic compression device ( SCD Response System ) has recently been shown in healthy volunteers to have the ability to detect the postcompression refilling of the calf veins and to respond by initiating the subsequent cycle when these veins are full . This has proven to be more effective in expelling blood proximally than the conventional intermittent pneumatic compression device ( SCD Sequel System ) . The aim of this study was to test the influence of venous disease on the postcompression refill time detected by means of the SCD Response and the effectiveness of the new system in expelling blood in patients who have venous reflux caused by post-thrombotic syndrome or varicose veins . METHODS This open , controlled trial was conducted in an academic vascular unit with 10 patients who had post-thrombotic syndrome and 10 patients who had varicose veins . The new SCD Response System was tested against the existing SCD Sequel System in both legs in the supine , semirecumbent , and sitting positions . The refilling time sensed by means of the device was correlated with the venous filling index by using air plethysmography . The total volume of blood expelled per hour during compression was compared with that expelled by the SCD Sequel System in the same volunteers and in the same positions . RESULTS An inverse association was found between the mean postcompression refilling time in the sitting position and the venous filling index of the apparently healthy or less severely affected leg ( r 
    Output:
    
There is insufficient , high quality evidence to determine whether or not compression stockings are effective as the sole and initial treatment of varicose veins in people without healed or active venous ulceration , or whether any type of stocking is superior to any other type .