Affiliation:
1. Department of Surgery, University College London Medical School, The Middlesex Hospital, London, UK
Abstract
Objective: To use a single fibre laser Doppler fluxmeter to assess the microcirculatory effects of compression stockings. Design: Controlled study comprising patient and control groups. Setting: Department of Surgery, University College London Medical School, London, UK. Patients and participants: Ten patients with lipodermatosclerosis caused by chronic venous insufficiency and 10 control subjects. Interventions: Measurements were made from the liposclerotic skin of patients and 8 cm above the medial malleolus in controls. Laser Doppler flux (LDF), blood ce velocity (BCV) and concentration of moving blood cells (CMBC) were recorded with the subject lying supine. A class II graduated compression stocking was applied to the leg and laser Doppler recordings were repeated. The protocol was repeated with the subject sitting. Main outcome measures: The effects of a compression stocking on LDF, BCV and CMBC in the horizontal and sitting positions were measured. Results: In patients in the supine position, the compression stocking resulted in a 28% median increase in LDF ( p = 0.03), with a corresponding 29% median increase in BCV. There was no significant change in CMBC. In the sitting position, the compression stocking caused a 105% median increase in LDF ( p < 0.01) due to a corresponding 89% median increase in BCV ( p = 0.01); there was only 25% median increase in CMBC. The effects of compression in controls were similar to those in patients. Conclusion: Compression stockings may be effective in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency by increasing the microcirculatory flow velocity.
Subject
Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine,General Medicine
Cited by
21 articles.
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