Importance of arterial, venous and arteriovenous values of ABB parameters and glucose metabolites for assessment of resting lower extremity metabolism in healthy individuals and in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

The study deals with assessment of the extent of tissue ischaemia and disorders of aerobic metabolism on the basis of comparison of resting arterial, venous values, and the arteriovenous differences in pH, pCO2, pO2, lactate, pyruvate and glucose levels and the lactate/pyruvate index in 32 extremities of 16 healthy individuals and in 42 extremities of 38 patients with chronic ischaemic syndrome of the lower extremity in stages IIb, III and IV according to Fontaine. The group of patients showed significantly higher values of lactate, pyruvate, glucose and the lactate/pyruvate index and lower pH levels than controls. Changes in pCO2, pO2 and pyruvate levels were not significant. Multivariate analysis of data revealed serious impairment of the metabolism of extremities affected by chronic ischaemia.