[Specificity and normality of peripheral systolic pressure measurement by the ultrasound Doppler technic in healthy angiography-imaged extremities].

Our investigations on 108 healthy extremities, whereby in all cases normality was angiographically proven, demonstrate that the ankle systolic pressure (156.9 +/- 23.8 mmHg) was significantly higher than the arm systolic pressure (140.6 +/- 21.7 mmHg). Blood pressure was not measured at the same time but consecutively. We used the CW-Doppler system. The specificity is 100% if the decided limit is placed at minus 5 mmHg, that is, the ankle systolic pressure lies 5 mmHg, below the arm systolic pressure. A sufficient discrimination is also-evident if the determined normality limit is defined as no difference in pressure or higher systolic pressure in the ankle than in the arm (specifity: 98.1%). With our method we have found differences in the left and right lower extremities in 43.2% of cases. The relation of peak systolic blood pressure of the arm to that of the ankle was not dependent on blood pressure nor age. Our investigation has shown that the diagnostic reliability of the Doppler ultrasonic technique is particularly high.