Figure 1.  The American Venous Forum and the Center for Vascular Research at the University of Maryland have formed a unique collaboration.

Whether enhancing individual members’ research careers, contributing to basic science research, or collaborating with industry to create new products, AVF’s research capabilities add to the body of science on which clinical decisions are based and create synergy among an academic society, industry, and clinicians.

AVF can positively affect areas that are vital to productive research outcomes and application:

• Speed:  AVF’s structure and frequent, dedicated lines of communication within the organization allow for quick decision-making and implementation of those decisions
• Cost: As a medical specialty society, administrative costs are low and the organization’s overhead is lean resulting in minimal charges to researchers for operational expenses
• Quality: Top experts with experience in venous and lymphatic research are easily accessed to provide advice and insight on research projects
• Credibility:  AVF’s reputation for excellence in its scientific endeavors carries through to research projects as well.

Demonstrated Success

AVF’s research program was launched in 2020 with a grant from Boston Scientific. The first study to be completed under its auspices is the JURY trial, which demonstrated the effect of junctional reflux on the VCSS score of patients with and without GSV reflux. The results of the multi-center trial, led by principal investigator Chandu Vemuri, MD, was published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders (1). This study has already provided a roadmap for future larger collaborative intra- and inter-societal endeavors to generate high-quality data that will inform and support best practices in the care of patients with venous disease as evidenced by the initiation of JURY-2. The aim of this new study is to evaluate if adult patients with GSV reflux in 2 contiguous segments above the knee with no prior history of deep vein thrombosis who are deemed appropriate for treatment will be equivalent in their VCSS scores 3 months after endovenous ablation when comparing patients with and without co-existent junctional reflux.

Access to Unique Expertise

The JURY study demonstrates how an involved academic society can engage with its membership to form an effective team to address the needs of the patients they serve. Members of major academic societies offer expertise, knowledge, and access to patients through their active clinics. Professional societies have the ability to empower their membership by providing the requisite infrastructure to initiate and accomplish clinical investigations in real-world settings. In addition, AVF’s collaboration with other organizations generates data from various patient registries that can be factored into studies.

The Center for Vascular Research combines with AVF to provide expert personnel (Figure 2) to round out a research team’s needs for:

• Project management
• Budget development and monitoring
• Research coordination
• Data management
• Statistical analysis
• Quality assurance
• Manuscript preparation
• Dissemination and implementation

Figure 2.  Through its infrastructure and collaborations, AVF’s research program in collaboration with The Center for Vascular Research can meet the personnel and resource needs of multiple research programs.

Learn More about AVF’s Research Resources

Vital information about AVF’s research accomplishments and opportunities is available through:

AVF Research Achievements – The American Venous Forum is committed to funding and conducting cutting-edge venous and lymphatic research. This list provides information on current AVF research initiatives and links to outcomes of past AVF research projects.

Featured Research Articles – Links to timely research articles relevant to the field of venous and lymphatic disease science, diagnosis, and treatment.

To inquire about utilizing AVF’s resources in your research, contact [email protected]

Reference

1. Vemuri C, Gibson KD, Pappas PJ, Sadek M, Ting W, Obi AT, Mouawad NJ, Etkin Y, Gasparis AP, McDonald T, Sahoo S, Sorkin JD, Lal BK. Effect of junctional reflux on the venous clinical severity score in patients with insufficiency of the great saphenous vein (JURY study). J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. 2024 Mar;12(2):101700. doi: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2023.101700. Epub 2023 Nov 11. PMID: 37956904; PMCID: PMC10939725.