Purpose:
The Venous Clinical Severity Scale (VCSS) is a dynamic tool for assessing chronic venous disease (CVD) severity through clinical symptoms and signs. It provides a standardized method to monitor disease progression, aiding in precise patient evaluations and targeted management. Widely used in clinical practice, VCSS enhances care quality, aligns with best practices in phlebology, and facilitates effective communication of disease severity and treatment outcomes. By tailoring care to individual needs, VCSS supports patient-centered treatment strategies.
Instructions for Use:
- Review each parameter and assign a score based on the severity observed in the patient per limb.
- The scoring ranges from 0 (none) to 3 (severe), depending on the presence and severity of symptoms, signs, and the use of compression therapy.
- Sum up the scores to calculate the total VCSS score.
- Repeat the assessment periodically to monitor changes in disease severity.
- The decision to escalate treatment depends on treatment response, symptom severity, and the impact on quality of life, not just VCSS scores.
References:
- Passman, M. A., McLafferty, R. B., Lentz, M. F., Nagre, S. B., Iafrati, M. D., Bohannon, W. T., Moore, F. O., Heller, J. A., & Schneider, J. R. (2011). Validation of Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) with other venous severity assessment tools. *Journal of Vascular Surgery*, *54*(6 Suppl), 2S-9S. doi:10.1016/j.jvs.2011.06.112
- Sadek, M., Kabnick, L. S., Rockman, C. B., Berland, T., Maldonado, T. S., Jacobowitz, G. R., Lamparello, P. J., Mussa, F. F., Cayne, N. S., & Adelman, M. A. (2021). Revised Venous Clinical Severity Score and Venous Symptoms Assessment in the Management of Venous Disease. *Annals of Vascular Surgery*, *70*, 166-174. doi:10.1016/j.avsg.2020.06.055
- Vasquez, M. A., & Munschauer, C. E. (2008). Venous Clinical Severity Score and quality-of-life assessment tools: application to vein practice. *Phlebology*, *23*(6), 259-275. doi:10.1258/phleb.2008.008020