CHANGES OF SKIN MICROCIRCULATION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC VENOUS INSUFFICIENCY ASSESSED BY LASER-DOPPLER FLUXMETRY AND TRANSCUTANEOUS OXYMETRY

Objective: To evaluate whether microcirculatory disturbances of the sk in in patients with chronic venous insufficiency are a generalized phe nomenon or restricted to visible skin changes. Design: Open, prospecti ve study in patients and healthy, age-matched subjects. Setting: Depar tment of Angiology, Hannover Medical School. Patients: Seventy-one pat ients with chronic venous insufficiency. Measurements: Transcutaneous oxygen pressure (tcPo2) at electrode core temperatures of 37-degrees-C and 44-degrees-C and laser Doppler flux (LDF) were measured simultane ously in different regions of the legs. Results: On the forefoot, tcPo 2 (37-degrees-C) at rest and tcPo2 (44-degrees-C) during arterial isch aemia were significantly higher in patients (P<0.05), increasing with the severity of chronic venous insufficiency. Conclusions: Cutaneous c apillary flow on the forefoot is increased in patients with chronic ve nous insufficiency, demonstrating the general effect of venous hyperte nsion.