Conclusions from an Observational Study of Patients with Vascular Diseases Using the FMSF Technique

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of the Study Group

	All	Female	Male
N	482	264	218
Age [years]	69.4 ± 10.7	70.4 ± 10.8	68.1 ± 10.4
BMI [kg/m^2]	29.6 ± 8.2	29.6 ± 6.0	29.6 ± 10.2
DBP [mm Hg]	74.4 ± 10.6	73.2 ± 10.1	75.9 ± 11.0
SBP [mm Hg]	139.1 ± 18.0	138.7 ± 18.2	139.6 ± 17.7
AH	326 (67.6)	189 (71.6)	139 (62.4)
CVD	337 (69.9)	191 (72.3)	146 (67.0)
CVD-MI	42 (8.7)	19 (7.2)	23 (10.6)
DM	159 (33.0)	74 (28.0)	85 (39.0)
DFU	16 (3.3)	3 (1.1)	13 (6.0)
VLU	36 (7.5)	20 (7.6)	16 (7.3)
HCH	10 (2.1)	7 (2.7)	3 (1.4)

Note: Continuous variables, mean ± SD; dichotomous variables, n (%).

Abbreviations: AH, arterial hypertension; CVD, cardiovascular disease; CVD-MI, myocardial infraction; DM, diabetes mellitus; VLU, venous leg ulcer; DFU, diabetic foot ulcer; HCH, hypercholesterolemia.

Figure 1 Definition of the IR_max, HR_max, and RHR parameters (A). An exemplary FMSF trace with a negative ischemic response (IR_max < 0) recorded for a cardiac patient (male, 71 y, ischemic heart disease, hypertension) (B).

Figure 2 Comparison of the IR_max (A) parameter in groups by sex (female: n=163, mean age 70.0; male: n=157, mean age 68.3). Comparison of the HR_max (B) and RHR (C) parameters in groups by sex (female: n=264, mean age 70.4; male: n=218, mean age 68.1).

Note: The p-values were calculated from the results of the Mann–Whitney test (p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant).

Table 2 Characteristics of the Groups by Age with Values of the Main FMFS Parameters

	40–59 y	60–69 y	70–79 y	80–94 y
N	82	152	169	79
Female/ Male	41/ 41	79/ 73	94/ 75	50/ 29
Age [years]	52.2 ± 5.2	65.4 ± 2.8	74.0 ± 2.8	84.9 ± 3.7
BMI [kg/m^2]	30.5 ± 6.4	30.8 ± 11.9	29.5 ± 5.6	26.7 ± 4.6
DBP [mm Hg]	79.0 ± 9.7	75.2 ± 9.9	72.9 ± 10.6	71.6 ± 11.3
SBP [mm Hg]	132.7 ± 15.7	138.6 ± 18.4	140.4 ± 18.2	143.8 ± 17.3
FLbase × 10^3 [a.u.]	470 ± 216	459 ± 194	487 ± 208	533 ± 212
IRmax [%]	13.9 ± 5.7	11.2 ± 5.9	10.5 ± 5.4	9.6 ± 5.1
HRmax [%]	17.5 ± 4.6	16.1 ± 5.1	16.0 ± 5.4	16.1 ± 5.0
RHR [%]	27.5 ± 8.4	23.7 ± 7.9	22.8 ± 8.0	22.7 ± 7.1
log(HS)	1.26 ± 0.59	1.16 ± 0.50	1.00 ± 0.56	1.01 ± 0.53
log(FM)	1.40 ± 0.39	1.37 ± 0.38	1.30 ± 0.41	1.24 ± 0.42

Note: Continuous variables, mean ± SD.

Abbreviations: FL_base, fluorescence value at the baseline; IR_max, ischemic response maximal; HR_max, hyperemic response maximal; RHR, reactive hyperemia response; log(HS), hypoxia sensitivity; log(FM), flowmotion at rest.

Figure 3 Assessment of IR_max (A) and HR_max (B) parameters in groups by age, expressed as means and standard deviations (groups by age: 40–59 y: n=82, 41f + 41m, mean age 52.2; 60–69 y: n=155, 80f + 75m, mean age 65.4; 70–79 y: n=169, 94f + 75m, mean age 74.0; 80–94 y: n=79, 50f + 29m, mean age 84.9).

Note: The p-values were calculated from the results of the one-way ANOVA with a post-hoc Scheffe test (p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant).

Table 3 Characteristics of the Groups by Ischemic Response

	IRmax> 0	IRmax< 0
N	320	162
Female/ Male	163/ 157	101/ 61
Age [years]	69.2 ± 10.7	69.7 ± 10.7
BMI [kg/m^2]	29.1 ± 9.0	30.6 ± 6.1
DBP [mm Hg]	74.9 ± 10.8	73.5 ± 10.2
SBP [mm Hg]	138.3 ± 18.2	140.7 ± 17.6
FLbase × 10^3 [a.u.]	474 ± 213	500 ± 191
IRmax [%]	11.2 ± 5.7	–
HRmax [%]	15.5 ± 5.1	17.9 ± 4.8
RHR [%]	26.7 ± 7.9	18.3 ± 4.9
log(HS)	1.19 ± 0.54	0.91 ± 0.52
log(FM)	1.33 ± 0.41	1.32 ± 0.39

Note: Continuous variables, mean ± SD.

Figure 4 Comparison of the log(HS) (A) and HR_max (B) parameters in the groups by ischemic response (IR_max > 0: n=320, mean age 69.2; IR_max < 0: n=162, mean age 69.7).

Notes: The p-values were calculated from the results of the Mann–Whitney test (p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant).