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The definition of critical limb ischemia (CLI) requiring vascular intervention is still under debate. The clinical eye of the physician and ankle blood pressure measurements used so far may fall short in appreciation of the severity of disease, which makes decision-making for a vascular intervention subjective. In previous studies two simple functional tests, ie, transcutaneous oxygen pressure (tcPo₂) and toe blood pressure (TP) measurements, provided reliable information about the need for vascular intervention. Therefore we evaluated the diagnostic value of tcPo₂ and TP in management of clinically suspected critical leg ischemia.

This was a diagnostic randomized controlled clinical trial. Subjects were ambulatory and hospitalized patients in a referral university hospital.

Ninety-six patients (128 legs) with clinically suspected critical limb ischemia were referred to the vascular …