Quantitative study of capillary density in the skin of the foot in peripheral vascular disease.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate possible differences in capillary density of the skin of the foot between normal subjects and patients with peripheral vascular disease.

METHODS

Using in vivo video microscopy, a method was developed to measure the average capillary density (ACD) of the skin of the foot and toes. In a cross-sectional observational study, 21 patients with intermittent claudication and 23 patients with rest pain or ischaemic ulceration were compared with 19 age- and sex-matched controls.

RESULTS

Mean(s.e.m). values of ACD of the foot were 33.7(1.9) and 34.4(1.7) per mm2 in the right and left sides respectively for controls, 31.2(1.8) per mm2 (P not significant) and 31.9(2.6) per mm2 (P not significant) in the symptomatic and contralateral sides respectively for patients with claudication, and 22.0(1.8) per mm2 (P < 0.001) and 24.3(1.7) per mm2 (P < 0.001) in the symptomatic and contralateral sides respectively for patients with rest pain or ulceration.

CONCLUSION

Capillary density of the skin of the foot is significantly reduced in patients with arterial ulceration compared with that in patients with claudication and healthy subjects.