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Impact of age and gender on microvascular function
Oliver Schlager1, Aura Giurgea, Alexandra Hammer
1Division of Angiology, Department of Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Insights
Postocclusive reactive hyperaemia (PORH) in adolescents shows age-related changes in microcirculation. Gender differences in microvascular reactivity emerge in older adolescents, but not in younger ones.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Vascular Biology
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Microcirculatory function is assessed using postocclusive reactive hyperaemia (PORH).
- PORH can detect early microvascular damage.
- Age and gender may influence PORH outcomes, particularly in adolescents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of age and gender on microcirculatory function during adolescence.
- To understand how age and sex influence postocclusive reactive hyperaemia (PORH) in young individuals.
Main Methods:
- 896 children and adolescents were assessed using laser Doppler fluxmetry for PORH.
- Microcirculatory parameters (baseline perfusion, biological zero, peak perfusion, time to peak perfusion, recovery time) were analyzed.
- Data were stratified by age tertiles and gender.
Main Results:
- Lower baseline perfusion, biological zero, and peak perfusion were observed in older adolescents (12.3-18.1 years) compared to younger groups.
- Males exhibited higher baseline perfusion, biological zero, and peak perfusion than females.
- Sex differences in microcirculation were significant in older and middle age tertiles, but not in the youngest group.
Conclusions:
- Microcirculatory function assessed by PORH is age-dependent during adolescence.
- Gender significantly influences microvascular reactivity in older adolescents, with minimal differences in younger age groups.
Background:
Microcirculatory function can be assessed by postocclusive reactive hyperaemia (PORH) using laser Doppler fluxmetry. Previous studies have shown that PORH reveals microvascular damage at an early stage. In particular, at younger ages, PORH might depend on age and gender. To implement PORH into a larger scale of clinical studies, one has to be aware of the influence of age and gender on microcirculation. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of age and gender on microcirculatory function during adolescence.
Materials And Methods:
Within the scope of an epidemiological project, 896 children and adolescents underwent assessment of PORH by laser Doppler fluxmetry. Microcirculatory parameters during PORH (baseline perfusion, biological zero, peak perfusion, time to peak perfusion and recovery time) were analysed in relation to age (by tertiles) and gender.
Results:
Baseline perfusion, biological zero and peak perfusion were lower in children/adolescents in the upper age tertile (12·3-18·1 years) than in the middle (9·8-12·2 years) and lower (4·3-9·7 years) age tertiles (P < 0·0001). In the total of participants, baseline perfusion, biological zero and peak perfusion were higher in males than in females (P < 0·0001). Analysing microcirculatory parameters as a function of age and gender, the sex differences were only apparent in the upper and the middle age tertiles, but not in the lower.
Conclusions:
During adolescence, PORH is a function of age. At higher age, microvascular reactivity considerably depends on gender, whereas no sex differences are present at younger ages.
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