Capillary refill test--a possible auxiliary diagnostic method in obliterative arteriosclerosis.

Values of capillary refill time (CRT) were used for evaluation of skin microcirculation in the lower extremities severed by arteriosclerotic disease. The authors examined 133 extremities in 83 arteriosclerotic patients and 84 extremities of 50 healthy volunteers as a control group. To define the stage of the disease, walking distance, rest pain, level of arterial occlusion and the ankle/arm Doppler index (AAI) were considered. On each leg CRT was measured three times on the foot dorsum and pulp of the hallux. The mean value was calculated. The capillary refill index (CRI) was defined from the values of CRT as a proportion of compression time and time of skin recolouration. Twenty three extremities were examined before and after surgical treatment. The results suggest that values of CRI lower than 0.80 may be considered pathological. In advanced forms of the disease, low values of CRI were found in a significant number of extremities (p less than 0.01). A correlation was found among AAI, walking distance and CRI (r = 0.50). An extremely low CRI (under 0.55) was found on extremities without palpable femoral pulsations. After operation, a significant increase of CRI was observed (p less than 0.01).