Influence of ageing on human body blood flow and heat transfer: A detailed computational modelling study

• Published in: International journal for numerical methods in biomedical engineering 2018-10, Vol.34 (10), p.e3120-n/a
• Main Authors: Coccarelli, Alberto, Hasan, Hayder M., Carson, Jason, Parthimos, Dimitris, Nithiarasu, Perumal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Age composition; ageing; Aging; Arteries - physiology; bioheat transfer; Biomechanics; Blood flow; Blood pressure; Body temperature; Body Temperature Regulation - physiology; body thermal energy balance; Computation; Computer applications; Convection; Fundamental; Heart; Heat; Heat exchange; Heat transfer; Human body; Humans; Mathematical models; Models, Theoretical; Muscle contraction; Part a ‐ Fundamentals; Regional Blood Flow - physiology; Skin; Stiffening; Stress concentration; Sweating; systemic circulation; Temperature distribution; Thermal response; thermoregulation; Vasoconstriction
• ISSN: 2040-7939; 2040-7947
• DOI: 10.1002/cnm.3120

Ageing plays a fundamental role in arterial blood transport and heat transfer within a human body. The aim of this work is to provide a comprehensive methodology, based on biomechanical considerations, for modelling arterial flow and energy exchange mechanisms in the body accounting for age‐induced changes. The study outlines a framework for age‐related modifications within several interlinked subsystems, which include arterial stiffening, heart contractility variations, tissue volume and property changes, and thermoregulatory system deterioration. Some of the proposed age‐dependent governing equations are directly extrapolated from experimental data sets. The computational framework is demonstrated through numerical experiments, which show the impact of such age‐related changes on arterial blood pressure, local temperature distribution, and global body thermal response. The proposed numerical experiments show that the age‐related changes in arterial convection do not significantly affect the tissue temperature distribution. Results also highlight age‐related effects on the sweating mechanism, which lead to a significant reduction in heat dissipation and a subsequent rise in skin and core temperatures. The aim of this work is to provide a comprehensive methodology for modelling arterial blood transport and heat transfer in the body accounting for age‐induced changes. The proposed numerical experiments show that the age‐related changes in arterial convection do not significantly affect the tissue temperature distribution. Results also highlight age‐related effects on the sweating mechanism, which lead to a significant reduction in heat dissipation and a subsequent rise in skin and core temperatures.