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Digital ischemia is a distressing complication of critical illness and causes concern for patients and their families. Investigators at a single center in Oregon examined the cases of 98 intensive care unit (ICU) patients who underwent evaluation for digital ischemia during 7 years.
Cases were identified based on billing records for finger photoplethysmography, a central component of the institution's approach to evaluating digital ischemia. All patients had finger discoloration; half had pain or paresthesia. Two thirds of patients had unilateral findings; one third had radial arterial lines. Diabetes, hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease were common comorbidities.
Most patients with digital ischemia were being treated with vasopress…