Transcutaneous PCO2 Level as an Index of Tissue Resistance to Ischemia

Abstract

The authors performed a retrospective study on a data base of 525 patients with periph eral arterial disease, to analyze the pathophysiologic meaning of resting transcutaneous pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO₂) and of CO₂ production during three minutes of local ischemia. The resting and postischemic PCO₂ and its maximum increase related to rest (PCO₂ production) were measured with Kontron 7640 equipment.

The results show a significant increase of PCO₂ production in the Fontaine stage 2A (183 patients, 4.61 mmHg, P < 0.0001), in stage 2B (194 patients, 5.22 mmHg, P < 0.0001), in the third stage (83 patients, 6.10 mmHg, P < 0.0001), and in the fourth stage (53 patients, 8.66 mmHg, P < 0.0001). Only the patients at the first stage showed an insignificant increase, perhaps because of the small number (12) in this group.

The authors feel that the measurement of tcPCO₂ production during local ischemic stress can be a very important parameter for evaluating peripheral arterial disease as an expression of metabolic tissue performance and, overall, of the tissue resistance to ischemia.

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