Based on a research done by the American Academy of Dermatology, venous leg ulcers afflict one to three percent of the elderly population in the UK and the US.

1. The Link Between
Leg Ulcers and the
Elderly
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2. Based on a research done by the American Academy of Dermatology, venous leg
ulcers afflict one to three percent of the elderly population in the UK and the US.
Venous leg ulcer has become a serious problem for those aged 65 and older.
The Understudied Affliction
The journal of the American Academy of
Dermatology mentions one to three
percent of the elderly population in the UK
and the US are afflicted with venous leg
ulcers. Studies by Moffat et al in 2004
states that it is more common in females
than in males.
Venous insufficiency accounts for 80 to 85
percent of the development of leg ulcers.
Venous leg ulcers occur when there is a
discontinuity in the epidermis and the
dermis of the lower limb for more than six
weeks. Venous ulcers are located between
the lower calf and malleoli. It has irregular
margins and is associated with a narrow
base covered with fibrinoid material and
granulation tissue.
Venous ulceration initially damages valves,
resulting in thrombosis in varicose veins.
This will lead to the blood pooling in the
lower limbs. The extravasation of the red
blood cells will then follow. It causes
collagen deposition and local inflammatory
reaction.

3. The Impact of the Affliction
According to the British Journal of Medical Practitioners, leg ulcers are usually linked
to a poor quality of life. The elderly suffer from immobility and obesity, along with
venous and arterial insufficiency. Those factors contribute to the increased
occurrence among the age group.
Pain is the major complaint of patients. However, males experience greater pain than
their female counterpart. Pain may also be associated with sleep disturbance and
restricted mobility. The patients often experience unpleasant odor, itchiness, and leg
swelling.
Sixty eight percent of the leg ulcer patients under the study reported a negative
emotional impact on life characterized by depression, social seclusion, and anger.
Unpleasant odor caused social embarrassment that led to higher depression and
anxiety scores, along with altered body image.
The elderly make up one of the fastest growing sectors of the population in the UK
and the US. This group is expected to double in size in the next 40 years. Venous leg
ulcer is a type of chronic wound that is a significant but understudied medical
problem among the age group.

4. Sources:
http://veniti.com/
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190962202537981
http://www.bjmp.org/content/leg-ulcers-older-people-review-management