2-DIMENSIONAL LASER-DOPPLER PERFUSION IMAGING AND MICROCIRCULATORY FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH VENOUS SKIN DAMAGE

Objective: To assess the use of two-dimensional laser Doppler perfusio n imaging in the quantification of venous skin damage. Design: Compari son of disease group with control group. Setting: Department of Medici ne, Hospital du Nord, Grenoble, France. Subjects: Six patients (nine l imbs) with lipodermatosclerosis (LDS) due to duplex-proven venous insu fficiency and six controls subjects (11 limbs). Interventions: Perfusi on images were collected at rest, after venous hypertension and after skin heating. Main outcome measures: Mean skin perfusion (mV). Results : An increased basal flux at rest was found in lipsclerotic skin (1.6 V) compared with controls (0.94, V, 95% CI = 0.16-1.48). An impairment of hyperaemic responsiveness to heat was also shown (factor of increa se = 1.87 (LDS) compared with 3.28 (controls); 95% CI = 0.85-2.44).