Postocclusive reactive hyperemia in healthy volunteers and patients with peripheral vascular disease measured by three noninvasive methods.

Postocclusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) was evaluated in three healthy volunteers and in three patients with different etiologies and suffering from peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). Three noninvasive methods were used: transcutaneous oximetry (TcPO2), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Changes in perfusion and oxygenation of tissue were measured on foot before, during, and after arterial occlusion on thigh. Numerical parameters were derived from measured signals for quantification of the PORH response. Results of all three methods provided distinction between healthy volunteers and patients. The experimental optical techniques of NIRS and LDF demonstrated more clearly than the well-established TcPO2 method the difference between healthy volunteers and patients. The dynamics of the PORH response proved to be a better indicator of peripheral vascular disorder than the amplitude of responses.