Oedema in the lower limb of patients with chronic critical limb ischaemia (CLI)

Objective: approximately 70% of patients with chronic critical limb ischaemia (CLI) show clinical signs of oedema in the distal leg and foot. The primary aim of the present investigation was to quantify this oedema. In addition we investigated whether oedema formation could be due to deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Methods: fifteen patients with unilateral CLI and oedema were studied, four males and 11 females, with a mean age of 77+/-10.35 years. Water displacement volumetry (WDV) was used to measure limb volume. Colour duplex ultrasound (CDU) and venous occlusion plethysmography (VOP) were applied to exclude functionally significant DVT. Blood chemistry was analysed to screen for some causative factors of generalised oedema formation. Results: the mean volume of the limbs with! CLI eons 9% greater than the contralateral limbs (1279+/-325ml vs. 1179 +/- 298 mi). None of the patients had functionally significant DVT. The mean plasma albumin concentration was reduced at 28.5 +/- 6.6 g/l. Conclusion: a significantly reduced plasma albumin concentration cannot be regarded as a causative factor; since the oedema is unilateral. The aetiology of oedema formation is probably multifactorial, and further investigations are under progress to elucidate relevant pathogenetic factors.