A panel of the Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee of the CMS voted that it has moderate confidence that there is sufficient evidence for intervention that improves health outcomes for certain adults with chronic venous disease.
The moderate-confidence vote applied to patients who have varicose veins and/or other indicators of chronic venous insufficiency and who present with symptoms.
However, the panel voted that it has low confidence of adequate evidence for an intervention for members of that cohort presenting without symptoms but with signs.
The panel also voted that it has low confidence of sufficient evidence for intervention that improves both immediate/near-term and long-term health outcomes for adults with chronic venous thrombosis — including individuals with post-thrombotic syndrome — who present with signs or symptoms. […]
Other panel members agreed that reliable data was lacking.
“Just about everything has an evidence gap for people over the age of 65,” Diana Zuckerman, PhD, president of the National Center for Health Research Cancer Prevention and Treatment Fund, said. “What we need are some good studies that are specific. That way, we can pursue effective, affordable outcomes.” […]
The purpose of the meeting was to examine the scientific evidence underpinning the benefit and risk of existing lower extremity chronic venous disease interventions that aim to improve health outcomes in the Medicare population, according to the CMS.
It also sought to identify evidence gaps that exist related to lower extremity chronic venous disease, including heterogeneous disorders that encompasses a variety of primary etiologies.
But, according to the CMS, common to most of these venous conditions is a permanent alteration in venous structure and function, which leads to altered venous hemodynamics.
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