Function of the precapillary vessels in peripheral vascular disease

Area of Science:

• Vascular Biology
• Dermatology
• Microcirculation Research

Background:

• Peripheral vascular diseases (PVD) significantly affect microcirculation.
• Understanding skin capillary vasomotion is crucial for diagnosing and managing PVD, including Raynaud's disease and acrocyanosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on skin capillary vasomotion in patients with PVD.
• To analyze differences in capillary blood flow patterns between healthy individuals and those with acrocyanosis, Raynaud's disease, and scleroderma-related microangiopathy.

Main Methods:

• Videomicroscopy and videodensitometry were used to measure red blood-cell velocity and fluorescent-dye distribution.
• Sodium fluorescein (Na-fluorescein) was injected intravenously to assess capillary filling dynamics.

Main Results:

• Normally, adjacent skin capillaries show synchronized flow and filling.
• Acrocyanosis frequently exhibits pathological vasomotion, with asynchronous flow and delayed capillary filling.
• Inhomogeneous perfusion is also noted in scleroderma-induced microangiopathy.

Conclusions:

• Skin capillary vasomotion is altered in peripheral vascular diseases.
• Distinct patterns of abnormal vasomotion differentiate conditions like acrocyanosis from normal flow.
• Primary Raynaud's disease is characterized by hypersensitivity to cold stimuli.