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Updated: May 16, 2026
Laser Doppler Perfusion Imaging in the Mouse Hindlimb
Published on: April 18, 2021
[Use of laser Doppler to assess peripheral tissue perfusion in critically ill children]
A García-Figueruelo1, J Urbano, M Botrán
1Servicio de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, España.
Insights
Skin tissue perfusion varies across body sites in critically ill children. Foot perfusion correlates with weight, age, temperature, and inotropic index, suggesting its potential for assessing shock.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care medicine
- Hemodynamics
- Tissue perfusion assessment
Background:
- Assessing tissue perfusion is crucial in critically ill children.
- Skin perfusion can vary significantly across different body sites.
- Understanding these variations aids in clinical management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze skin tissue perfusion at various anatomical locations in critically ill children.
- To investigate the correlation between skin perfusion and demographic/hemodynamic variables.
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational study of 41 critically ill children (median age 12 months).
- Laser Doppler flowmetry used to measure skin tissue flow in the foot, forearm, thigh, and abdomen.
- Analysis of associations with demographic data, hemodynamic variables, lactate, and inotropic index.
Main Results:
- Median skin tissue flow was 3.2±2.2 ml/min/100 g.
- Moderate correlations observed between central perfusion sites (abdomen, arm, thigh).
- Peripheral foot perfusion showed correlations with weight, age, peripheral temperature, and inotropic index.
Conclusions:
- Skin tissue flow in the foot is influenced by weight, age, peripheral temperature, and inotropic index.
- Further research is warranted to establish the utility of foot perfusion in evaluating peripheral perfusion during shock states.
Objective:
To analyze skin tissue perfusion at different sites in critically ill children.
Patients And Methods:
A prospective observational study was performed on 41 critically ill children with a median age of 12 months and weight of 8.2 kg. Skin tissue flow was measured in each patient using laser Doppler consecutively in the foot, forearm, thigh and hypochondrium, and its association with demographic and hemodynamic variables, as well as lactate and inotropic index, was analyzed.
Results:
A total of 144 tissue flow measurements were made, with a median flow of 3.2±2.2 ml/min/100 g tissue. There was a moderate correlation between the tissue flow measured in central locations, abdomen-arm (r(2): 0.574, P=.001), abdomen-thigh (r(2): 0.423, P=.002) and thigh-arm (r(2): 0.703, P<.000), but not with the peripheral measurements (sole of the foot). The limits of agreement, measured between the different locations, were wide (range 6.1 to -2.5 ml/min/100g). There was a slight-moderate correlation between the flow in the sole of the foot with weight (-0.355, P=.039), age (-0.343, P=.044), peripheral temperature (0.503, P=.017) and inotropic index (-0.443, P=.008).
Conclusions:
Tissue flow in the foot correlates with weight, age, peripheral temperature and inotropic index. Further studies are needed to analyze its usefulness in assessing peripheral perfusion in situations of shock.
