title: Spontaneous oscillations of laser Doppler skin blood flux in peripheral arterial occlusive disease.
abstract: In the present study, local temporal fluctuations of skin perfusion were non-invasively measured at the forefoot and calf in 374 limbs of 226 patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) by means of Laser-Doppler-Flowmetry (LDF). Within the scope of a purely descriptive evaluation, each recording was classified according to four previously defined LDF oscillation types named 'aperiodical', 'sinoidal', 'missing waves', and 'small waves'. The prevalences of these curve patterns distinctly varied with both the macrohemodynamic compensation and clinical severity of PAOD. While type 'aperiodical' predominated in case of a normal or only slightly affected circulation, type 'sinoidal' accumulated in legs with marginal collateralization. In contrast, 'missing waves' and 'small waves' mainly occurred in feet affected by severe PAOD. Which pathophysiological mechanisms are responsible for the different LDF oscillation types still remains to be clarified. Retrospectively, in case of a confirmed PAOD, the diagnosis of critical limb ischemia could not be established and wound healing could not be predicted by means of LDF pattern analysis.
authors.affiliation: Aggertalklinik Clinic for Vascular Diseases, Engelskirchen, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scheffler
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rieger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D007834:Lasers; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D009991:Oscillometry; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D014945:Wound Healing