Cardiovascular Journal of Africa: Vol 33 No 3 (MAY/JUNE 2022)

CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Volume 33, No 3, May/June 2022 AFRICA 131 were statistically significantly different between the genders. In the left-sided pathologies, only EV4/V was statistically significantly different (p = 0.020) between the genders. In Table 8, SGP measurements of each affected lower limb are compared in different age groups. According to these values, in right-sided pathologies, VE (p = 0.002), V (p = 0.026), EV4/V (p < 0.001), RV (p = 0.002) and t½ (p < 0.001) were statistically significantly different between the age groups. Similarly, in leftsided pathologies, VE (p = 0.022), V (p = 0.096), EV4/V (p = 0.085), RV (p = 0.007) and t½ (p = 0.003) were also statistically significantly different between the age groups. This table also demonstrates that V was increased by advanced age, whereas VE, EV4/V, RV and t½ values decreased with advanced age. In Table 9, SGP measurements of each affected lower limb are compared with different disease onsets. According to these values, all measurements, including both limbs, were statistically significantly different in terms of disease onset. The correlation between t½ values and skin discolouration or oedema of the affected limb is provided in Table 10. According to these values, t½ did not correlate with the presence of oedema in the right-sided pathologies and had a negative correlation with skin discolouration (r = –0.38, p < 0.001). In other words, skin discolouration increased when the t½ shortened, and skin discolouration decreased when t½ was lengthened. In the left-sided pathologies, t½ had a negative correlation with both oedema (r = –0.31, p < 0.001) and skin discolouration (r = –0.26, p < 0.001). In other words, more oedema and skin discolouration were observed in patients with a low t½ value. ROC curve analyses of VE values are given in Fig. 1 (right leg) and Fig. 2 (left leg). The right-sided pathologies with a value of 81.00 showed 83.5% sensitivity and 78.8% specificity. The leftsided pathologies with a value of 80.50 showed 76.5% sensitivity Table 7. Comparing plethysmography measurements of right- and left-sided pathologies in both genders Gender VE (R) VE (L) V (R) V (L) EV4/V (R) EV4/V (L) RV (R) RV (L) t½ (R) t½ (L) Men Average 89.50 87.33 6. 46 6.60 0.61 0.62 1.27 1.27 6.02 6.41 Number 95 98 95 98 95 98 95 98 95 98 SD 9. 92 9.39 0.15 0.23 07 0.08 0.19 0.24 1.13 1.45 Median 84.00 86.00 6.40 6.70 0.63 0.62 1.20 1.12 6.00 6.00 Minimum 71.00 66.00 6.20 6.15 0.49 0.49 1.00 1.00 5.00 5.00 Maximum 108.00 108.00 7.00 7.00 0.80 0.82 1.60 1.65 10.00 10.00 Women Average 91.27 88.49 6.44 6.56 0.64 0.65 1.34 1.30 6.53 6.84 Number 111 128 111 128 111 128 111 128 111 128 SD 8.78 9.57 0.13 0.21 0.07 0.08 0.20 0.23 1.29 1.69 Median 92.00 88.50 6.45 6.60 0.63 0.65 1.45 1.15 6.50 6.20 Minimum 69.00 69.00 6.20 6.15 0.50 0.49 1.00 1.00 5.00 5.00 Maximum 108.00 115.00 7.00 7.00 0.80 0.82 1.60 1.60 10.00 14.00 p-value* 0.131 0.773 0.555 0.072 0.009 0.020 0.017 0.092 0.005 0.056 *Mann–Whitney U-test. VE: venous emptying, V: venous volume, EV4/V: expelled volume ratio in four seconds, RV: refilling volume, t½: half refilling time, R: right, L: left, SD: standard deviation. Table 8. Comparing plethysmography measurements of right- and left-sided pathologies in different age groups Age groups VE (R) VE (L) V (R) V (L) EV4/V (R) EV4/V (L) RV (R) RV (L) t½ (R) t½ (L) 20–29 years Average 94.52 96.20 6.43 6.31 0.66 0.82 1.39 1.52 6.55 8.61 Number 16 40 16 40 16 40 16 40 16 40 SD 8.98 9.59 0.10 0.21 0.06 0.08 0.16 0.20 0.70 1.56 Median 95.00 82.50 6.45 6.70 0.65 0.65 1.45 1.12 6.50 6.20 Minimum 80.00 78.00 6.20 5.85 0.54 0.72 1.10 1.00 5.00 5.00 Maximum 108.00 115.00 6.74 6.60 0.78 0.99 1.60 1.70 8.00 10.00 30–39 years Average 92.37 93.60 6.42 6.43 0.66 0.74 1.36 1.44 6.99 7.78 Number 59 55 59 55 59 55 59 55 59 55 SD 9.30 9.69 0.15 0.23 0.08 0.08 0.21 0.24 1.58 1.55 Median 95.00 90.00 6.40 6.55 0.68 0.65 1.45 1.40 6.50 6.50 Minimum 69.00 76.00 6.20 6.15 0.49 0.50 1.00 1.20 5.00 5.00 Maximum 106.00 108.00 7.00 7.00 0.80 0.82 1.60 1.65 10.00 10.00 40–49 years Average 90.50 91.73 6.45 6.65 0.64 0.65 1.34 1.32 6.25 7.02 Number 46 56 46 56 46 56 46 56 46 56 SD 9.16 9.37 0.11 0.21 0.06 0.09 0.18 0.25 1.02 1.89 Median 92.00 88.00 6.45 6.60 0.66 0.65 1.45 1.25 6.50 6.50 Minimum 80.00 78.00 6.25 6.15 0.54 0.49 1.05 1.00 5.00 5.00 Maximum 108.00 105.00 6.75 7.00 0.80 0.80 1.60 1.60 10.00 14.00 50–59 years Average 88.50 86.09 6.47 6.81 0.59 0.62 1.23 1.28 6.25 6.46 Number 68 33 68 33 68 33 68 33 68 33 SD 8.62 9.42 0.12 0.22 0.06 0.08 0.19 0.24 1.30 1.44 Median 84.00 85.00 6.45 6.60 0.58 0.60 1.10 1.12 6.25 6.00 Minimum 80.00 66.00 6.20 6.15 0.50 0.49 1.00 1.00 5.00 5.00 Maximum 105.00 108.00 6.78 7.00 0.78 0.80 1.60 1.60 10.00 10.00 > 60 years Average 91.76 85.09 6.49 6.92 0.61 0.55 1.27 1.25 5.68 6.21 Number 17 42 17 42 17 42 17 42 17 42 SD 9.00 9.25 0.16 0.21 0.06 0.08 0.19 0.24 0.73 1.31 Median 84.00 87.00 6.45 6.70 0.61 0.61 1.20 1.12 5.00 6.00 Minimum 71.00 69.00 6.25 6.20 0.54 0.49 1.05 1.00 5.00 5.00 Maximum 108.00 108.00 7.00 7.00 0.78 0.80 1.60 1.60 7.00 10.00 p-value* 0.002 0.022 0.026 0.096 0.000 0.085 0.002 0.007 0.000 0.003 *Kruskal–Wallis test. VE: venous emptying, V: venous volume, EV4/V: expelled volume ratio in four seconds, RV: refilling volume, t½: half refilling time, R: right, L: left, SD: standard deviation. 0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0 1 – Specificity Diagonal segments are produced by ties. Sensitivity 1,0 0,8 0,6 0,4 0,2 0,0 Fig. 1. ROC curve of venous emptying (VE) measurements of right-sided pathology.

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