Transcutaneous oxygen tension response to exercise in health and in occlusive arterial disease

Transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2) was measured on the foot at rest and during exercise in supine position in 21 clinically healthy controls and in 17 patients with intermittent claudication. All patients had ankle pressure greater than 50 mmHg and arteriographically proven peripheral vascular disease. Resting TcPO2 was significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group, though with considerable overlap between the groups. During exercise, however, TcPO2 showed highly significant decrease in the patient group. The median change following exercise in that group was -90% (range -54 to -100%) of the resting value. In the control group there was no significant fall in TcPO2 during 4 min exercise--median change -8% (range +30 to -34%). During exercise there was no overlap between the patient and the control group. Foot TcPO2 measurement during exercise in supine position is a simple, noninvasive and highly specific test for identifying patients with significant peripheral vascular disease.