The effects of posture, exercise, and bandage pressure on the clearance of 24na from the subcutaneous tissues of the foot

Abstract

The effects of posture, exercise, and bandage compression on the clearance of ²⁴Na from the subcutaneous tissues of the foot in 12 control subjects and in 32 patients with venous abnormalities have been investigated. Lowering the foot slowed clearance in the control subjects and in the patients with varicose veins, but no slowing occurred in patients with chronic deep venous thrombosis (D. V. T.). Exercise increased the clearance in the controls but this increase was less in the varicose vein and D. V. T. groups and absent in the group with venous ulcers. Treatment of the patients with varicose veins by sclerotherapy returned their exercise increment in clearance of ²⁴Na to control levels. Bandage compression increased clearance until a maximum was reached at approximately the intravascular hydrostatic pressure. Thereafter it declined. A significantly higher bandage compression was required to produce maximum clearance of ²⁴Na in patients with D. V. T. In two further experiments when bandage compression was maintained at intravascular hydrostatic pressure the effect of posture on clearance was abolished. These observations indicate that ²⁴Na clearance may be of value in the investigation of patients with venous abnormalities.