A Comparative Analysis of Transcutaneous Oxygen Tension (tcPO2) During Rest and Postischemic Response Test in the Diagnosis of Patients with Mild and Moderate Arteriosclerosis Obliterans (ASO)

Abstract

Transcutaneous oxygen tension (tcPO₂) was measured at the foot and chest wall in 12 normal subjects and 62 patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO). The results showed that the resting tcPO₂ at the foot and the chest wall was significantly lower in asymptomatic patients (p < 0.01 at the foot and p < 0.01 at the chest wall) and patients with mild and moderate intermittent claudication (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively) than in normal subjects. The postischemic response test (T_½) was significantly delayed in asymptomatic patients (p < 0.05) and patients with mild and moderate intermittent claudication (p < 0.01 respectively) as compared with normal subjects.

The preliminary results of this study suggest that the measurement of resting tcPO₂ is useful in the diagnosis of patients with mild and moderate ASO. Measurement of resting tcPO₂ coupled to the T_½ test is more useful for discrimination in the severity of the disease and may provide information concerning prognosis of the patients.