Assessment of the microcirculation provides additional information in critical limb ischaemia.

Systolic ankle and toe pressure measurements are considered to be the best way of documenting arterial occlusive disease. In the European consensus, chronic critical limb ischaemia is defined as persistent pain with an ankle pressure lower than 50 mmHg. To investigate the possible adjunct value of microcirculatory assessment, capillary microscopy and transcutaneous oximetry were performed in 21 asymptomatic persons (F1), 89 claudicants (F2) and 54 patients with critical limb ischaemia (F3/4). Capillary morphology (diameter, density) and dynamics [red blood cell velocity (RBCV), peak RBCV and time to peak RBCV], as well as transcutaneous oximetry parameters were determined for each Fontaine group and compared with ankle and toe pressure measurements. Despite considerable overlap, ankle and toe pressures were significantly (p less than 0.001) different between F1, F2 and F3/4 patients. Capillary density (p less than 0.05), diameter (p less than 0.05), peak RBCV (p less than 0.05) and time to peak RBCV (p less than 0.01), as well as transcutaneous oximetry parameters (p less than 0.001) were significantly different between all groups and impaired with progression of ischaemia. However, a similar overlap between all groups was observed, except the supine TcpO2 parameter which separated F3/4 patients completely from the other groups. In all patients with critical limb ischaemia, dynamic parameters, such as peak RBCV (p less than 0.01) and time to peak RBCV (p less than 0.001), were significantly lower as compared to non-critically ischaemic patients, irrespective of an ankle pressure below or above a value of 50 mmHg, illustrating the additional value of microcirculatory assessment in these patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)