title: Leg blood flow in intermittent claudication--a comparison between non insulin dependent diabetics and non diabetics.
abstract: The influence of diabetes on leg blood flow in intermittent claudication has been assessed by comparing the systolic arm-ankle pressure gradient at rest and resistance to blood flow during reactive hyperemia in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes and non-diabetic controls. Cases and controls were matched for age and sex. Smoking habits, blood pressure, and blood lipids didn't differ in the two groups. Diabetes was associated with a higher resistance to blood flow during reactive hyperemia and a greater arm-ankle pressure gradient at rest. Resistance to blood flow during reactive hyperemia was in the non-diabetics strongly correlated to the arm-ankle pressure gradient at rest (r = 0.84). Corresponding correlation coefficient was in diabetics 0.04. In one of four diabetic legs a high resistance to blood flow during reactive hyperemia didn't correspond to a big arm-ankle pressure gradient. The results in this study support the concept of both macro- and microvascular disease in diabetes.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle; D001132:Arm; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged