Functional status of peripheral microcircuiatory blood flow in patients with atherosclerosis of lower limb arteries

We investigated the peripheral microcirculatory blood flow (MBF) by laser Doppler flowmetry in 118 patients with chronic ischemia of lower limb (CILL) IIB-IV Grade according to Pokrovsky/Fontaine classification. The aim of the study was to evaluate the functional state of peripheral MBF, depending on CILL Grade. In patients with CILL Grade III-IV the lowest baseline MBF (less than 5 ml/100 g/min), as compared with those with CILL Grade IIB, was noted. As CILL progresses, the reserve capacity of the peripheral MBF decreases, which manifests itself as the lowest postocclusion hyperemic response in patients with CILL Grades III-IV.