title: Adding Doppler ultrasonography to the follow-up of patients with vasospastic disorder improves objectivity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Assessing therapeutic efficacy and patient satisfaction objectively and quantitatively has always been a problem in patients with vasospastic disorders. We aimed to present the additive value of ultrasonographic assessment of peripheral arteries secondary to cold stimulation, as a test for treatment efficacy during follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Arterial blood flow rates were measured from radial artery with Doppler USG in patients who presented to our department with vasospastic disorders. Ultrasonography was performed at the following intervals; before cold stimulation and at 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th minutes of cold stimulation. Patients were controlled by repeat cold stimulation test and Doppler US at the 2nd month of the treatment. Results were analyzed with SPSS for Mac 20.0 package program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We enrolled 46 patients in the study. All patients were male and mean age was 22.3 ± 2.17 years. Most common symptoms were cyanosis and coldness. There were statistically significant differences between pre-treatment and post-treatment arterial blood flow rates at each measurement time point (p<0.001) except initial measurement (p>0.05). On post-treatment values, there were 10.04±0.78 cm/s increase in 5th minute, 6.25 ± 1.39 cm/s in 10th minute, 6.43 ± 2.13 cm/s in 15th minute, and 6.38 ± 1.86 cm/s in 20th minute measurements. All increases at the 5 time points were statistically meaningful when compared to their pre-treatment corresponding time points (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Doppler flowmetry added to standard cold stimulation test for evaluating the patients with vasospastic disorders provides better and more objective results when compared to the patient-oriented subjective scoring systems.
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Kubilay
authors: K
authors: Karabacak
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Murat
authors: M
authors: Kadan
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Erkan
authors: E
authors: Kaya
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Maresal Cakmak Military Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors: Gokhan
authors: G
authors: Erol
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Gokhan
authors: G
authors: Arslan
authors: Department of Cardiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Murat
authors: M
authors: Celik
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Suat
authors: S
authors: Doğanci
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ufuk
authors: U
authors: Demirkilic
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult
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