Inflatable external upper and lower leg compression improves stroke volume and peripheral perfusion during central hypovolemia in healthy volunteers

Aim: To determine whether external leg compression (ELC) around the legs could prevent and restore central hypovolemia induced by head-up tilt (HUT) maneuver. Materials & methods: The dynamic effect of ELC was determined using 50 cm H2O inflation pressure. HUT was performed without ELC (control model), with ELC inflated before HUT (prevention model) and after HUT (restore model). Results: The decrease in stroke volume (SV) during the prevention model versus control model was 17 ± 3% versus 27 ± 3%. The restore model increased SV by 24 ± 2%. Similarly, peripheral perfusion measured by perfusion index (PI) and tissue oxygen saturation (STO2) was smaller in the prevention model than in the control model (PI: 65 ± 3% vs 79 ± 2%; STO2: 4 ± 1% vs 9 ± 1%). In the restore model, PI increased by 117 ± 24% and STO2 increased by 3 ± 1%. Conclusion: In this study, inflatable ELC around the legs was able to prevent and restore SV and peripheral perfusion in a model of acute central hypovolemia.

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