Effects of intermittent pneumatic foot compression on blood coagulability and fibrinolysis assessed by a whole blood viscometer Sonoclot
abnormal coagulopathy. They were randomly (by the envelope technique) divided into two groups according to the type of IPC device used: standard or rapid. The subjects were requested to lie in a supine position and to remain calm. Both soles of each subject in one group were compressed for 3 s (130mmHg) at 0.3-Hz intervals during rapid IPC. In the other group, both legs of each subject from the ankles to the thighs were compressed by the standard IPC device, which has a six-chambered cuff that applies compression of 45mmHg for 12s sequentially followed by a 60-s noncompression period. To measure whole blood coagulability using the Sonoclot viscometer, venous blood samples were collected from the left cephalic vein at 10min before compression (control) and at 25 and 60min after compression. The following Sonoclot variables were recorded: sonACT, i.e., Sonoclot-measured activated clotting time (liquid phase or onset of clot formation); clot rate, i.e., slope of the Sonoclot signature (fibrin gel formation stage); and time-to-peak, i.e., duration from the start of measurement to the peak of the Sonoclot signature (Fig. 1A). Data are expressed as means SD. All data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, and Fisher’s test was used as a post hoc test. P 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Typical time courses of the Sonoclot signature before and 25 min after IPC by the use of the AV impulse are shown in Fig. 1. The AV impulse significantly shortened the time-to-peak without changing sonACT or clot rate. Both of the IPC devices significantly shortened the time-to-peak in a time-dependent manner (by more than 40% at 60 min after compression). The other parameters, sonACT and clot rate, were not changed during the study period by the use of either device (Table 1). There were no significant differences in these parameters between the IPC devices tested. The Sonoclot analyzer is used as a blood viscoelastic monitor. One of the benefits of its use is that the Sonoclot signature provides global measurement of