Cor et vasa
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Values of capillary refill time (CRT) were used for evaluation of skin microcirculation in the lower extremities severed by arteriosclerotic disease. The authors examined 133 extremities in 83 arteriosclerotic patients and 84 extremities of 50 healthy volunteers as a control group. To define the stage of the disease, walking distance, rest pain, level of arterial occlusion and the ankle/arm Doppler index (AAI) were considered. ⋯ A correlation was found among AAI, walking distance and CRI (r = 0.50). An extremely low CRI (under 0.55) was found on extremities without palpable femoral pulsations. After operation, a significant increase of CRI was observed (p less than 0.01).