Thermal provocation to evaluate microvascular reactivity in human skin

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular research
• Predictive medicine
• Vascular physiology

Background:

• Assessing cardiovascular risk often relies on tests evaluating large blood vessels.
• Functional changes in microcirculation may indicate early microvascular dysfunction.
• Noninvasive methods for microvascular assessment are needed for predictive medicine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review tests of microvascular reactivity using thermal stimuli in cutaneous circulation.
• To explore the potential of skin microcirculation tests for evaluating cardiovascular risk.
• To assess the prognostic utility of skin blood flow responses to heat and cold.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on microvascular reactivity tests.
• Focus on thermal stimuli (heat and cold) applied to cutaneous circulation.
• Analysis of skin blood flow response as a biomarker.

Main Results:

• Skin microcirculation tests, particularly response to heat, have shown prognostic utility.
• Response to local cooling shows potential for patients with cutaneous disorders.
• These tests may precede overt clinical signs of disease.

Conclusions:

• Cutaneous microvascular reactivity tests are a promising area for innovation in cardiovascular risk assessment.
• Further evaluation is needed to determine if these tests can predict cardiovascular morbidity or mortality.
• The skin's accessibility makes it an ideal site for microvascular dysfunction evaluation.