Klinische Wochenschrift

, Volume 68, Issue 12, pp 588–593 | Cite as

Decrease of macrovascular hyperemic response of blood flow in diabetics with arterial neuropathy

  • K. H. Vogelberg
  • P. Mayer
  • M. König
Originals

Summary

Doppler sonographic examination of 51 diabetic subjects showed that the macrovascular hyperemic response of the pedal blood flow was negatively correlated to the duration of the disease (p<0.01). In comparison with non-diabetic controls (n=20), the response was increased by more than 210% in newly detected diabetics, but decreased by more than 20% in long-term diabetics. Vascular response was correlated also not only to the duration of the diabetes, but to peripheral neuropathy (p<0.001). The hyperemic response was reduced in patients with reduced nerve conduction time, or somatic neuropathy (142+152%,p< 0.005), and in patients with reduced arterial pulsation, or autonomic neuropathy (152+88,p< 0.005), both in comparison with non-diabetic controls (293±108%). The frequency of decreased macrovascular hyperemic response was in agreement with somatic neuropathy in 69.7% and with autonomic neuropathy in 75.8% of all patients. The results demonstrate that the macrovascular hyperemic response of blood flow in diabetic feet is already reduced at an early stage of peripheral neuropathy without peripheral vascular occlusive disease. The functional reduction of pedal blood flow may be important for the development of diabetic foot gangrene.

Key words

Doppler sonography Peripheral vascular disease Diabetic foot Neuropathy Reactive hyperemia 

Abbreviations

PVD

Peripheral vascular disease

ATR

Achilles tendon reflex

RPT

Pulse reappearance time

NPM

Nervus peroneus motoricus

NSS

Nervus suralis sensiblis

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1990

Authors and Affiliations

  • K. H. Vogelberg
    • 1
    • 2
  • P. Mayer
    • 1
  • M. König
    • 1
  1. 1.Klinische Abteilung des Diabetes-Forschungs-Instituts an der Universität DüsseldorfDeutschland
  2. 2.Diabeteszentrum RheinlandSt. Josef-Krankenhaus HaanHaan 1

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