Reproducibility of laser Doppler imaging of skin blood flow as a tool to assess endothelial function.

摘要: Endothelial dysfunction might be an important and early event in the pathogenesis of major cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, evaluation endothelial function humans may great clinical relevance. Usual methods for that purpose are either invasive and/or technically demanding. In dermal microcirculation, assessed noninvasively from laser Doppler measurement increases blood flow after transdermal application acetylcholine by iontophoresis, or release transient arterial occlusion (reactive hyperemia). An endothelium-independent response provided iontophoresis sodium nitroprusside. This approach is notable technical simplicity, but uncertain reproducibility. Sixteen young, healthy, nonsmoking males were examined fasting state. Changes skin measured with a imager during nitroprusside, as well reactive hyperemia, on two different days, at each sites volar face forearm. Nonspecific effects related to stimulation terminal nerve fibers iontophoretic current suppressed prior surface anesthesia. The nitroprusside induced seven- eightfold increase flow. corresponding figure peak hyperemia was approximately fourfold. mean coefficients variation responses recorded same site, individual <10% between 10 20% day-to-day significantly smaller than site-to-site (p < 0.01 all three responses). Endothelium-dependent -independent evaluated imaging highly reproducible day day, least healthy young male subjects, some simple precautions observed, foremost among which strict standardization recording site. These observations have implications testing studies.