Related Experiment Videos
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy: evolution of microcirculatory disturbances in time
H A Kurvers1, M J Jacobs, R J Beuk
1Department of Surgery, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Pain
|March 1, 1995
Summary
This study reveals altered sympathetic skin microcirculation in Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) patients. Early-stage RSD shows increased total skin blood flow, while later stages exhibit decreased total and nutritive skin blood flow.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Neurology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) is a complex pain syndrome involving autonomic, motor, and sensory disturbances, often linked to sympathetic dysfunction.
- Understanding sympathetic nervous system involvement in skin microcirculation is crucial for diagnosing and managing RSD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate disturbances in sympathetic function of skin microcirculation across different clinical stages of RSD.
- To correlate microcirculatory changes with clinical presentations of RSD.
Main Methods:
- Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) for total skin blood flow (TSBF).
- Capillary microscopy for nutritive skin blood flow (NSBF).
- Transcutaneous oximetry (TCPO2) for skin oxygenation, and skin temperature (ST) measurement.
Main Results:
- Stage I RSD showed increased TSBF (P < 0.05) and elevated ST (P < 0.01).
- Stages II and III exhibited decreased TSBF (P < 0.05, P < 0.001) and NSBF (P < 0.05, P < 0.001), with decreased ST in Stage III (P < 0.05).
- TCPO2 remained unimpaired across all stages.
Conclusions:
- Increased TSBF in early RSD may indicate reduced sympathetic nerve impulses.
- Decreased TSBF and NSBF in later stages suggest heightened microvessel sensitivity to catecholamines.
- Microcirculatory assessment provides insights into RSD pathophysiology and clinical staging.