Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 3, 2026

Non-invasive Assessment of Microvascular and Endothelial Function
Published on: January 29, 2013
Effects of forearm venous drainage on responses to the volume provocation test
Robert A Boland1, Roger D Adams
1School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Lidcombe, New South Wales, Australia. r.boland@fhs.usyd.edu.au
Abstract:
The volume provocation test (VPT) has been shown to induce a transitory increase of forearm and hand volume. Although these changes have been quantified in previous studies, the postulated mechanism underlying the VPT required further investigation. This study used a test-retest design in which the VPT was applied to 20 subjects before and during blood donation. During the standard VPT, the experimental arm was cuffed for 4 minutes at 15 mm Hg less than diastolic blood pressure, but a cannula siphoned blood from a superficial forearm vein during blood donation. Subjects rated the level of discomfort for each protocol, and reported data regarding symptom quality and location. Discomfort data during the VPT (1.95/10) was higher (p(1-tailed) < 0.005) than during blood donation (1.1/10), and subjects reported fewer volume-related symptoms during blood donation. These findings support the hypothesis that the VPT operates through a vascular mechanism, which is milder during blood donation.
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