Sources of data heterogeneity in the assessment of cutaneous microcirculation

Assessment of cutaneous microcirculation contributes to studying pathophysiological mechanisms and the progression of systemic and local diseases. However, the available quantitative data demonstrate heterogeneity across studies by different authors. In this narrative review, we briefly discuss the main factors influencing heterogeneity in cutaneous microcirculation assessment. We divided all factors into three groups: (1) factors related to microcirculation per se; (2) factors influencing the thickness of individual skin layers and, consequently, the depth of blood vessels; and (3) factors associated with the measurement technique.