Varicocele is associated with varicose veins: A population-based case-control study

Objective: To analyze the association between patients with varicocele and varicose veins in Taiwan.

Methods: Between 2001 and 2010, comprehensive data were analyzed on the characteristics of patients with varicocele and varicose veins in Taiwan through a retrospective, nationwide, population-based study. Data were obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 2727 cases with varicose veins and 10 908 randomly selected controls were included in this study. Conditional logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between varicose veins and varicocele.

Results: The prevalence of varicocele was 1.3% and 0.3% for cases (with varicose veins) and controls (without varicose vein), respectively (P < 0.001). Conditional logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratio of being previously diagnosed with varicose veins for cases was 4.71 (95% confidence interval 2.87-7.89) when compared with controls after adjusting for age, diabetes, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, liver and kidney disease, and edema. Furthermore, the odds ratio was 5.96 (95% confidence interval 2.90-12.24), 4.76 (95% confidence interval 1.68-13.48) and 1.69 (95% confidence interval 0.30-9.55) in patients aged <50 years, 51-65 years and >65 years, respectively. In addition, the prevalence of male infertility was 15.1% for patients with varicocele and varicose veins, and 14.5% for patients with varicocele only, but no significant difference was observed.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest an association between both varicocele and varicose veins. In addition, this association is higher in patients aged younger than 50 years. Evaluation of male patients with varicose veins for varicocele should be recommended.