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Assessment of microvascular endothelial function in human skin
D J Newton1, F Khan, J J Belch
1Peripheral Vascular Diseases Research Unit, University Department of Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK. d.j.newton@dundee.ac.uk
Clinical Science (London, England : 1979)
|November 29, 2001
Summary
This study introduces a non-invasive method to assess endothelial function using iontophoresis of vasoactive compounds. Acetylcholine and methacholine provide sensitive and reproducible measurements of skin microvascular blood flow.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Microcirculation Physiology
Background:
- Endothelial dysfunction is a key factor in cardiovascular diseases, often linked to impaired vasodilation.
- Current human studies rely on invasive methods or lack vascular bed specificity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate non-invasive protocols for assessing endothelial function in the cutaneous microcirculation.
- To evaluate the reproducibility of measuring blood flow responses to specific vasoactive compounds.
Main Methods:
- Developed protocols for non-invasive assessment of endothelial function in forearm skin.
- Utilized iontophoresis to administer cumulative doses of acetylcholine, methacholine, bradykinin, and substance P.
- Measured dose-dependent skin microvascular blood flow changes using laser Doppler imaging.
Main Results:
- Vascular responses to acetylcholine and methacholine showed good reproducibility (approx. 17% coefficient of variation).
- Bradykinin and substance P exhibited poorer reproducibility (up to 70% coefficient of variation), potentially due to histamine release.
- Demonstrated that acetylcholine and methacholine are suitable for sensitive and reproducible endothelial function assessment.
Conclusions:
- Non-invasive assessment of endothelial function in the cutaneous microcirculation is feasible using iontophoresis.
- Acetylcholine and methacholine are reliable agonists for reproducible assessment of endothelial function.
- This method offers a sensitive alternative to invasive techniques for studying endothelial dysfunction.