title: The hydrostatic measurement of systolic toe blood pressure: a preliminary validation of the method.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The hydrostatic method of measuring systolic toe blood pressure has not been validated. A comparison with established non-invasive methods is presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  Conventional sphygmomanometry was applied to assess systolic arterial pressure at the ankle and brachial level; systolic arterial toe pressure was assessed by the hydrostatic method. An 8 MHz Doppler probe was used to demonstrate arterial pulsation in brachial, ankle, and toe arteries, respectively. 50 legs of patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease were studied before and after successful arterial revascularisation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all legs, ankle pressure and ankle/brachial pressure index (ABPI) increased postoperatively. Hydrostatic toe blood pressure (HSTBP) increased in 96% of cases, in 58% of cases above the upper detection limit of 70 mmHg. HSTBP and sphygmomanometric ankle pressures were significantly correlated (r = 0.754, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Successful arterial revascularisation in legs with peripheral arterial occlusive disease was associated with an increase in systolic ankle pressure and ABPI, assessed with sphygmomanometry. Similar changes were observed in systolic toe arterial pressure, assessed with the hydrostatic method. The correlation of the results obtained with both methods can be taken as a preliminary indication of the accuracy of the hydrostatic method, which may be particularly useful in cases of medial arterial calcification.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik für Stoffwechselkrankheiten und Ernährung, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hiller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006874:Hydrostatic Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D019722:Sphygmomanometers; D014034:Toes / Q000098:blood supply*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler