Anti-embolic stockings - development of a one-size solution

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Anti-embolic stockings - can one size sit all?

  • IRAS ID

    211801

  • Contact name

    Fiona Charlotte Denison

  • Contact email

    Fiona.Denison@ed.ac.uk

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 4 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    61% of the UK population are at risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT can lead to pulmonary embolism (PE) which causes 5-10% of UK hospital deaths and over 900,000 US deaths annually. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence recommends anti-embolism stockings (AES) as gold standard for DVT/PE prevention. AES are difficult and time consuming to fit, often deliver ineffective pressure gradients and are uncomfortable for patients resulting in poor compliance. There is therefore an unmet clinical need for AES that are easy to fit, apply the correct pressure and are comfortable, especially for high risk, more challenging patient groups.

    We have developed a new AES, which in the laboratory setting performs better than the existing stocking used by the NHS. The aim of this study is to undertake preliminary wear and fit trials to compare the ease of putting on/off the new AES and to compare the pressures exerted on the legs with our new AES compared to the stockings currently used in the NHS. Participants will be asked to put on two different types of support stockings. The pressure that the stocking exerts on their legs will be measured and they will be asked to complete questionnaires which ask their opinion about the two different stockings.

  • REC name

    South East Scotland REC 02

  • REC reference

    16/SS/0207

  • Date of REC Opinion

    25 Nov 2016

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion