Cutaneous microcirculation in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease: Comparison of capillary blood circulation in the nail fold of finger and toe

Issue title: Selected papers of the 39th Conference of the German Society for Clinical Microcirculation and Hemorheology, 6-7 November 2020, Hannover, Germany

Guest editors: B. Hiebl, A. Krüger-Genge and F. Jung

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Mrowietz, C.^{a; *} | Sievers, H.^a | Pindur, G.^b | Hiebl, B.^a | Jung, F.^c

Affiliations: [a] Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Institut für Tierhygiene, Tierschutz und Nutztierethologie (ITTN), Hannover, Germany | [b] Universität des Saarlandes, Abt. für Klinische Hämostaseologie und Transfusionsmedizin, Universität des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar, Germany | [c] Brandenburg University of Technology, Molecular Cell Biology, Senftenberg, Germany

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: C. Mrowietz, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Institut für Tierhygiene, Tierschutz und Nutztierethologie (ITTN), Hannover, Germany. E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: In patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) a restricted circulation in cutaneous microvessels has been reported. In this study the velocity of erythrocytes (very) in finger nailfold capillaries - a vascular area without upstream macroangiopathy - and also in toe nailfold capillaries - a post-stenotic area –was investigated using capillary microscopy in apparently healthy subjects and patients with PAOD. Already in finger nailfold capillaries very of patients with PAOD under resting conditions was significantly lower than in capillaries of healthy subjects. This was also true for the circulation in toe capillaries. In addition, the erythrocyte velocities under resting conditions in the toe capillaries were significantly lower than in the finger capillaries. Similar results were found for the duration and the maximum velocity of postocclusive hyperemia. It is concluded that the resting blood flow in the skin microcirculation is impaired in PAOD patients, both under resting conditions and during postocclusive hyperemia in finger as well in toe nailfold capillaries.

Keywords: Microcirculation, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, capillary microscopy

DOI: 10.3233/CH-209220

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 76, no. 2, pp. 279-285, 2020