Circulatory studies in inflammatory dermatoses. General and regional studies

Abstract

Forearm blood flows were determined in 11 patients with widespread inflammatory skin disease before and after therapy. Cardiac output was determined in 10 patients before treatment and was again determined in 4 patients after therapy. Forearm blood flows before treatment averaged 8.5 ml/min./l00 gm of tissue and dropped to 4 ml/min./l00 gm of tissue after therapy. Cardiac outputs were normal in 9/10 patients. All 4 patients studied after treatment showed a decrease in cardiac output. The apparent increased skin blood flow in widespread erythrodermic skin disease seems to be critical only in patients with borderline cardiac function. The risk of high output cardiac failure can be minimized by prompt and adequate treatment of the skin disease.