Relationship between distal systolic blood pressure and wound healing. A retrospective study of patients with crural ulcers

To anticipate the need for ensuring quality in treatment of patients with ulceration of the lower leg and complicating arterial occlusive disease, three authors examined the files of 56 patients with systolic digital blood pressure (SDBP) below 60 mmHg, all admitted to the geriatric in-patient department over a 11-year period in a retrospective study. In 40 patients (71%) the ulcer healed. Eight patients (14%) required amputation, six patients (11%) died and two patients (4%) were unsolved. We found a significant correlation between SDBP and ulcer healing (p = 0.006). In patients with SDBP < or = 35 mmHg, healing on conservative pharmacotherapy was demonstrated even with critical ischaemia.