The objective of this study was to assess differences in blood samples (sex steroid hormone levels and blood counts) before and after surgical treatment of incompetent great saphenous veins (GSV) in males.

Antecubital vein and GSV blood samples were taken from 11 men with varicose veins and GSV reflux before and after treatment. Six patients were treated with high ligation, stripping and phlebectomy. Five patients were treated with endoluminal radiofrequency ablation and phlebectomy. After a four-year follow-up period (FU) cubital vein and GSV blood samples were taken again.

In men with varicose veins, significantly higher (P < 0.05) serum testosterone (median 25.18 nmol/L, range 8.82–225.1) and oestradiol (median 179 pmol/L, range 79–941) levels were found in the saphenous vein samples before and after the FU (testosterone 18.8 nmol/L, range 7.96–83.1, oestradiol 171 pmol/L range 125–304) compared with the cubital vein samples before therapy (testosterone 15.72 nmol/L, range 8.36–23.29; oestradiol 84 pmol/L, range 41–147) and after the FU (testosterone 14.5 nmol/L, range 6.10–22.2, oestradiol 117 pmol/L, range 95–165). After the FU, one patient demonstrated recurrent varicose veins with groin neovascularization. Another presented with axial reflux of the anterior accessory saphenous vein. Further differences in blood counts and serum androstenedione levels between the upper and lower extremities were not detected.

The differences between testosterone and oestradiol levels in the leg veins compared with the cubital veins persist after treating men with refluxing saphenous veins. These results suggest that local hormone regulation may be different between leg and arm veins in men with varicose veins.