[The hemodynamic characterization of the diabetic patient with arterial calcifications]

This study was designed to describe the presence of calcifications according to the clinical features of the diabetic patient and the hemodynamics of the calcified arteries. With this purpose, 197 lower limbs from diabetic patients (type I and II) and carbon-hydrate intolerant patients, were studied. In all of the patients, the pressure ratio leg/arm was measured. On the same way, the arterial flow velocity was recorded using the Doppler ultrasonography on the pedia and postero-tibial arteries. The arterial calcifications, evident on the radiography of the foot, were more frequent between the type I patients and the neuro-infections diabetic foot. According to the hemodynamics point of view, we found a trend of association of more pathologic arterial flow velocity curves with the presence of calcifications (specially on the intima layer). It was also remarkable that an arterial incomprensibility was always associated with arterial calcifications.