This real-world study of femoropopliteal artery disease treatment with drug-coated balloons confirmed positive findings reported from more strictly designed randomized controlled trials and showed that outcomes are durable in this population up to 2 years after treatment. (IN.PACT Global Clinical Study; NCT01609296).

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In the present study the predictive value of a simplified VCM (Vital Capillary Microscopy) classification in assessing the development of skin necrosis was investigated in 69 patients with severe peripheral arterial obliterative disease (AOD) of the leg. The arterial circulation of the foot was evaluated by systolic blood pressure (SBPt). The structure and blood filling of the skin capillaries of all toes and forefeet were evaluated by an ordinary stereo-microscope at a magnification of 10 to 40 times. A three stage classification was used for evaluating the nutritive skin capillaries: Stage A, B and C. The individual patient was classified according to the worst stage found in the foot. The predictive value for the SBPt measurements with regard to the development of skin necrosis was for the best group (21-30 mmHg) 6%, for the middle group (11-20 mmHg) 58% and for the worst group (0-10 mmHg) 56%. The predictive values for the VCM Stages A, B and C were 5, 16 and 93% respectively. The sensitivity with the borderline between Stage A and B + C was 97% and the specificity 53%. With the borderline between stage A + B and C the sensitivity and specificity became 87% and 95% respectively. It may be concluded that the VCM classification with three stages used in the present study seems to be very useful for predicting the risk of skin necrosis in patients with severe AOD.

Three programs (female voice, jazz music, and pink noise) were reproduced using four different frequency responses and two different sound levels. Fourteen normal hearing subjects listened to the reproductions via earphones and judged the sound quality on seven perceptual scales (loudness, clarity, fullness, spaciousness, brightness, softness/gentleness, and nearness) and a fidelity scale. Significant differences among the reproductions appeared in all scales and could be attributed to the differences in frequency response or sound level or both. Interactions between the reproductions and the programs could be explained by the relations between the spectrum of the programs and the frequency responses used. The results for the noise program were similar to those for the jazz music program.