A study led by Stanford University School of Medicine discovered that the taller you are, the more likely you are to develop varicose veins

Researchers examined the genes of more than 400,000 people while looking for clues to what causes the little understood condition.

“Genes that predict a person’s height may be at the root of this link between height and varicose veins and may provide clues for treating the condition,” said Nicholas Leeper, MD, associate professor of surgery and of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford.

Moreover, the study identified 30 genes that are linked to varicose vein disorder and to another strong genetic correlation with deep vein thrombosis. The study was published two days ago, September 24, in Circulation.

Varicose veins are swollen and twisted veins that can be seen just under the surface of the skin and are usually visible in the legs. In the United States, more than 30 million people have this condition. Even though it is often dismissed as no more than a cosmetic nuisance, it can cause moderate pain and has even been linked to the more serious side effects of deep vein thrombosis, which happens when a blood clot form in one or more of the deep veins in the body.

“The condition is incredibly prevalent but shockingly little is known about the biology,” Flores said. “There are no medical therapies that can prevent it or reverse it once it’s there.” Treatment is mainly limited to surgical procedures, such as laser treatment or vein stripping. “We’re hoping that with this new information, we can create new therapies, as our study highlights several genes that may represent new translational targets,” she said.

Source: medicalxpress.com