[Early diagnosis of arterial occlusive disease of the lower extremities. A comparison of various nonbloody methods for vascular investigation].

In 13 patients suffering from arterial occlusive disease of the lower limbs (ages ranged from 47-74 years) and in two control groups of 13 healthy young (range 20 to 39 years) and 20 healthy elder people (range 40-65 years) vascular investigations were made. We used the electronic pulse-oscillography as well as the blood-flow-measurement by applying an airfilled plethysmographic technique and the simultaneous systolic blood-pressure-measurement at the equilateral ankle and forearm by means of a plethysmographic resp. Riva-Rocci method. Comparing the different methods and parameters of physical tests, we found that the determination of the "cruro-brachial pressure gradient" is usefull to distinguish exactly healthy persons from sick ones. In cases without coarctation of aorta and of patent arm arteries, systolic ankle blood-pressure less than 9 mmHg in comparison with the equilateral forearm blood-pressure is evidence of a hemodynamic effective stenosis in the arteries of the legs and/or the aorto-iliac vessels.