Researchers discover link between height and varicose veins

Washington: According to a study, height may be a risk factor for varicose veins.

“We may be able to leverage what we know about the biology underlying human height and use it to uncover the root causes of varicose vein disease,” said lead author Nicholas J. Leeper of Stanford University in California. “Ultimately, this may help investigators discover a therapy that can prevent or reverse this common and sometimes debilitating disease.”

It is a common condition that is increasingly being associated with serious health risks, including life-limiting ulceration and venous thromboembolism, which is when a blood clot forms within a vein. However, little is known about what causes varicose vein disease or how to treat it.

Researchers confirmed that age, gender, obesity, pregnancy and history of deep vein thrombosis are risk factors for varicose veins, and also found that increased height adds to the risk for varicose veins.

The study also found that genes that determine height also influence the development of varicose veins and that here is a strong genetic correlation between deep vein thrombosis and varicose veins.

The study has been published in the Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.