Exercise-induced variations in muscle tissue oxygen pressure in claudicants: effects of buflomedil

The amount of oxygen actually supplied to the ischemic muscle tissue of patients with intermittent claudication was quantified before and after a standardized pedal ergometric test. Muscle tissue pO2 was measured with micro-platin needle electrodes directly in the lower limb muscles at rest and 3, 10, 20 and 60 min after a 4-min work load. Time-dependent variations in the behavior of pO2 values as well as changes in the shapes of pooled pO2 histograms make it possible to monitor the effect of therapeutic measures. In claudicants (stage IIb) with ascertained occlusions or stenosis of the femoral artery or the pelvis region, it was demonstrated that the delayed increase in tissue pO2 after exercise could be improved by the infusion of 400 mg buflomedil. Comparison between the time-related pooled histograms confirmed improvement of oxygen supply under the influence of this drug.