Reliability of laser-Doppler flowmetry derived measurements of forearm and calf cutaneous vasodilation during gradual local heating in young adults

• Published in: Microvascular research 2023-03, Vol.146, p.104470, Article 104470
• Main Authors: McGarr, Gregory W., Saci, Samah, Akerman, Ashley P., Fujii, Naoto, Kenny, Glen P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Endothelium; Female; Forearm - blood supply; Heating; Humans; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; Male; Measurement error; Microcirculation; Regional Blood Flow; Repeatability; Reproducibility; Reproducibility of Results; Skin - blood supply; Skin blood flow; Vasodilation - physiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0026-2862; 1095-9319
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mvr.2022.104470

Evaluate reliability of laser-Doppler flowmetry derived cutaneous vasodilation on the upper and lower limbs during gradual local heating. In twenty-eight young adults (21 (SD 3) years, 14 females), absolute cutaneous vascular conductance (CVCabs) and CVC normalized to maximum vasodilation at 44 °C (%CVCmax) were assessed at two adjacent sites on each of the forearm and calf during gradual local skin heating (33–42 °C at 1 °C·5 min−1) for two identical trials (∼1 week apart). Responses were assessed for baseline, the steady-state heating plateau at 42 °C and the span (i.e. plateau–baseline). Between-day reliability was characterized as measurement consistency across trials. Within-day reliability was characterized as within-limb measurement consistency across adjacent skin sites. Between- and within-day absolute reliability (coefficient of variation) generally improved with heating, from poor (>25 %) at baseline to good (