Book chapter
Assessment of cutaneous microvascular function using laser doppler flowmetry and acetylcholine iontophoresis
Agache's Measuring the Skin, pp.539-547
Springer International Publishing
2017
Abstract
Laser Doppler flowmetry has been employed for many years to assess cutaneous microvascular function in health and disease. It is often used in conjunction with transdermal iontophoresis or microdialysis of acetylcholine, as this provides information about the integrity both of the microvascular endothelium and the cutaneous sensory nerve supply. Unfortunately, widespread application of these techniques has been impeded by methodological difficulties – particularly concerning errors introduced by nonspecific responses to iontophoresis and the relatively poor reproducibility of spot measures of blood flow, and a lack of standardisation both in the form of drug delivery and the expression of blood flow data. Nevertheless, transdermal iontophoresis of acetylcholine appears to be useful for detecting the extent of microvascular disturbances in patients with cardiovascular disease, and for identifying deficits in small fiber function in patients with peripheral neuropathy. As this technique is safe and non-invasive, it holds great promise as tool for assessing microvascular and neural responses that reflect important elements of cardio- and neurovascular health.
Details
- Title
- Assessment of cutaneous microvascular function using laser doppler flowmetry and acetylcholine iontophoresis
- Authors/Creators
- P.D. Drummond (Author/Creator)
- Contributors
- P. Humbert (Editor)F. Fanian (Editor)H.I. Maibach (Editor)P. Agache (Editor)
- Publication Details
- Agache's Measuring the Skin, pp.539-547
- Publisher
- Springer International Publishing
- Identifiers
- 991005543905507891
- Copyright
- © 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Psychology and Exercise Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Book chapter
Metrics
57 Record Views