Clinical significance of Doppler velocity and blood pressure measurements in peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

In 20 normals and 50 limbs with arterial occlusive disease, Doppler flow velocity and blood pressure in different levels of the leg were determined at rest and during reactive hyperemia. While blood pressure measurement at the ankle and flow velocity analysis at the posterior tibial artery were of use in the diagnosis of arterial occlusion, recording the mean femoral flow velocity during reactive hyperemia showed less diagnostic value. Ankle blood pressure was determined after two different exercises--knee exercise and ankle exercise. A greater decrease of blood pressure was observed after ankle exercise than after knee exercise in limbs with isolated occlusion of the femoral artery, and a less decrease in limbs with isolated occlusion of the iliac artery. These findings indicate that comparison of ankle blood pressure after two exercises is useful as a screening test to detect the combined ilio-femoral diseases.