Affiliations: Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Siena, Italy | Centre of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacotoxicology and Medical Therapy, University of Siena, Italy | Physical Department – Section of Medical Physics, University of Siena, Italy | Institute of Clinical Medicine, Centre of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacotoxicology and Medical Therapy, University of Siena, Italy
Note: [] Correspondence to: Prof. F. Laghi‐Pasini, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy. Tel.: 577 585741; Fax: 577 44114.
Abstract: The transcutaneous pO_2 (tcpO_2) changes induced by the increase of temperature to 45{}^\circC after electrode stabilization at 37{}^\circC were continuously recorded. The mathematical analysis of the curve led us to identify three different parameters: the half‐slope “b” time, the angular “m_T” coefficient and the angular “m_b” parameter, which are not simply the expression of the maximum vasodilation capacity but mainly of the dynamic response of the microcirculatory system to skin heating. These parameters derived from the computerized mathematical analysis of the curve can be also obtained by a graphical approach with a very good approximation. The angular “m_b” coefficient was shown to possess the highest statistical power in discriminating the POAD patients from normal controls. The clinical relevance and the possible pathophysiological meaning of these preliminary observations have to be confirmed.
