Inflammation in chronic venous ulcers.

Chronic venous ulcers (CVUs) occur in approximately 1% of the general population. Risk factors for chronic venous disease (CVD) include heredity, age, female sex and obesity. Although not restricted to the elderly, the prevalence of CVD, especially leg ulcers, increases with age. CVD has a considerable impact on health-care resources. It has been estimated that venous ulcers cause the loss of approximately two million working days and incur treatment costs of approximately $3 billion per year in the USA. Overall, CVD has been estimated to account for 1-3% of the total health-care budgets in countries with developed health-care systems. The pathophysiology of dermal abnormalities in CVU is reflective of a complex interplay that involves sustained venous hypertension, inflammation, changes in microcirculation, cytokine and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activation, resulting in altered cellular function and delayed wound healing.