Regional differences of vasodilatation and vasomotion response to local heating in human cutaneous microcirculation.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the vasodilatation and vasomotion response to local heating in the cutaneous microcirculation of the ankle, dorsum of foot and forearm. Recently, it has been suggested that this response differs between the forearm and the leg.

Probands And Methods: Twenty-nine young healthy adults were recruited.

Healing process of venous ulcers: the role of microcirculation.

In order to describe adequately the process of healing in the intermediate degrees, we investigated microcirculatory changes in the venous ulcers at well-defined stages of wound repair. We investigated dynamic changes in microcirculation during the healing process of venous ulcers. Ten venous ulcers were investigated in three consecutive clinical stages of wound healing: non granulation tissue (NGTA), GTA and scar.

Influence of infection on clinical picture of diabetic foot syndrome.

The aim of our study was to analyse the foot infections in diabetic patients. We analysed foot ulcerations in 124 diabetics who attended outpatient foot clinic, or were hospitalized in the period from 1996 to 2006. Basic neuropathy screening examination was made with cotton wisp, pin-prick, tuning fork, and monofilament.

Cryoglobulinemia manifested by gangraene of almost all fingers and toes.

Cryoglobulinemia is a rather rare condition accompanying quite a broad spectrum of different states and diseases. Mixed or polyclonal cryoglobulins can be seen in patients with autoimmune disorders, chronic infections and lymphoproliferative disorders. Monoclonal cryoglobulins are often revealed in patients with multiple myeloma or Waldenström's macroglobulinemia.

[Characteristics of foot ulcers in diabetic patients].

Introduction: Diabetic foot syndrome is often presented as a skin lesion in diabetics. The aim of our study was to analyse foot ulcerations in diabetics, together with ethiopatogenesis, location and grade of impairment.

Methods: We analysed foot ulcerations in 124 diabetics who attended outpatient foot clinic, or were hospitalized in the period from 1996 to 2006.

Microcirculation in mixed arterial/venous ulcers and the surrounding skin: clinical study using a laser Doppler perfusion imager and capillary microscopy.

To treat mixed skin ulcers effectively, it is important to investigate skin microcirculation in greater detail. Therefore, we used laser Doppler perfusion imaging and capillary microscopy for assessing both subpapillary and nutritive microcirculation in four defined regions of the skin in 17 patients with mixed ulcers caused by a combination of peripheral arterial occlusive disease and chronic venous insufficiency. Laser Doppler area flux was significantly higher in the ulcer areas than in the areas without granulation tissue and those in intact skin.

Endothelaemia--a marker of vascular damage.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the amount of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) in patients with an advanced cardiovascular (CV) disease, compare the values with a control group and finally to ascertain if there are statistically significant differences within the studied patient groups.

Background: Endothelaemia has been intensively studied as a marker of vascular injury. Clinical studies have demonstrated an increased endothelaemia in patients at high CV risk but also in certain non-cardiovascular disorders.

Microcirculation is similar in ischemic and venous ulcers.

Microcirculation of 15 ischemic and 15 venous ulcers, their scars, and intact surrounding skin were examined in order to demonstrate their similarities in the development and healing process. Subpapillary and nutritive perfusion of four areas were investigated by a laser Doppler perfusion imager (arbitrary units) and capillary microscopy (capillaries/mm2): one ulcer area without granulation tissue (no wound healing) and one with granulation tissue (ulcer healing); one skin area adjacent to the ulcer (1-8 mm) (scar developed from ulcer areas) and one distant (12-25 mm; intact skin). Areas without granulation tissue in ischemic and venous ulcers were similar, demonstrating a lack of capillaries (0.

90 years of Buerger's disease--what has changed?

Thromboangiitis obliterans or Winiwarter-Buerger's disease is a primary systemic vasculitis of an unknown etiology, which affects medium-sized arteries and veins mainly in the lower and upper extremities, causing multiple segmental arterial occlusions especially in young male smokers. The aim of our study is to compare the knowledge on the etiology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities in the time of Leo Buerger (90 years ago) and now. Between 1994 and 1998, 26 patients (19 men and 7 women) were investigated with clinical suspicion for Winiwarter-Buerger's disease.

Microcirculation in venous ulcers and the surrounding skin: findings with capillary microscopy and a laser Doppler imager.

Background: To obtain more information about microcirculatory disturbances in venous ulcers, we studied their laser Doppler flux images and capillary densities.

Materials And Methods: On photographs of venous ulcers and the adjacent skin of 17 patients, four regions of interest were marked: one non-granulation tissue area (NGTA) within the venous ulcer, one granulation tissue area (GTA) within the ulcer, one adjacent skin area (ASA) and one distant skin area (DSA). Within these four regions the average laser Doppler area fluxes and capillary densities were determined for each patient using a laser Doppler imager and capillary microscopy respectively.

Laser Doppler imaging and capillary microscopy in ischemic ulcers.

The local distribution of laser Doppler flux (mainly thermoregulatory perfusion) and capillary density (nutritive circulation) within 25 ischemic leg ulcers and their adjacent skin were investigated. For this purpose the technique of laser Doppler imaging and capillary microscopy were applied. In each ulcer a non granulation tissue area (NGTA), a granulation tissue area (GTA) and in adjacent skin a skin area (SA) were defined.

Reproducibility of laser Doppler imager flux measurements within ischemic or venous ulcers and adjacent skin.

Background/aims: The laser Doppler imager (LDI) is a device that maps the local distribution of the laser Doppler flux of tissues. To facilitate the interpretation of LDI measurements, we investigated their reproducibility.

Methods: We measured 10 arterial ulcers, 10 venous ulcers and their adjacent skin by the use of a LDI.