Cutaneous oxygen tension (cutaneous pO2) was measured in 59 healthy controls and 58 patients with peripheral circulatory disturbances including 18 with progressive systemic sclerosis, 5 with stasis dermatitis with ulcer, 22 with arteriosclerosis obliterans, and 13 with thromboangiitis obliterans.
In the control group, the mean value ± SD of cutaneous pO2 was 82 ± 10 mmHg on the forearm, 79 ± 10 mmHg on the subclavicular region, 81 + 11 mmHg on the leg, 75 ± 11 mmHg on the dorsum of the hand and 70 ± 9 mmHg on the dorsum of the foot. There was an inverse correlation between cutaneous pO2 values on the forearm and increase in age, and a significant correlation between cutaneous pO2 values on the forearm and femoral arterial oxygen tension (PaO2).
In all of the patient groups, cutaneous pO2 measured at affected sites was significantly lower than in the control group.
These cutaneous pO2 values reflect the amount of O2 available for diffusion to the skin surface; thus cutaneous pO2 measurement is useful as a quantitative evaluation of cutaneous circulation.
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