Computerized capillaroscopy as a visualization channel for lipid quantification in circulating blood

There are correspondences between the number of lipid inclusions as detected with computerized capillaroscopy and the lipid parameters as determined using a routing blood test. The results have been obtained in the course of a study of two healthy volunteer groups (n equals 24) and three groups of patients: those suffering from ischemic heart disease with myocardial infarction in their past and heart failure (n equals 13), complicated insulin-independent diabetics (n equals 58), and patients with uncomplicated insulin-independent diabetes (n equals 27). Neither of the healthy volunteers had small lipid inclusions in the blood on an empty stomach. Moreover, lipid exchange parameters of every healthy volunteer as measured in a routine test were within the acceptable limits, while in patients with diabetes as well as in patients with coronary artery disease complicated by heart failure who had high cholesterol level, an elevated number of lipid inclusions was observed.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.