Vasomotion in the Cutaneous Circulation

Relationships between four commonly used indirect methods for study of the cutaneous circulation in intact, unanesthetized man were examined. Skin temperature, thermal conductance, volume plethysmography and the light absorption of the skin (as related to hemoglobin content) were simultaneously recorded on the upper extremities of normal young men as blood flow and blood content of the skin were changed by circulatory arrest, venous occlusion, indirect heating and cooling, and changes in position. Skin temperature and thermal conductance changed along parallel courses as blood flow was changed, while finger volume and reflectance of the skin to light of wavelength 550 mμ both changed in expected directions although along different courses, following passive congestion and de-congestion and changes in level of the hand relative to the heart. The advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of each of the methods in the study of cutaneous circulation in man are discussed and compared. measurement of circulation of skin; methods for measurement of cutaneous circulation; blood flow through skin; blood content of skin; skin Submitted on March 12, 1964

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Does St. John’s wort have an effect on autonomic responses of cutaneous circulation?

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(99)80464-7 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 13 (S4) ◽

pp. 260s-260s

Author(s):

M. Mück-Weymann ◽

T. Mösler ◽

R. Buche ◽

T. Rechlin

Keyword(s):

Autonomic Responses ◽

St John’S Wort ◽

St John's Wort ◽

Cutaneous Circulation

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Commentary on Viewpoint: The human cutaneous circulation as a model of generalized microvascular function

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/japplphysiol.00181.2008 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 105 (1) ◽

pp. 380-380 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bernard I. Lévy

Keyword(s):

Microvascular Function ◽

Cutaneous Circulation

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Cyclooxygenase and nitric oxide synthase dependence of cutaneous reactive hyperemia in humans

AJP Heart and Circulatory Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpheart.01217.2006 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 293 (1) ◽

pp. H425-H432 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

Marvin S. Medow ◽

Indu Taneja ◽

Julian M. Stewart

Keyword(s):

Nitric Oxide ◽

Peak Flow ◽

Reactive Hyperemia ◽

Laser Doppler ◽

Doppler Flowmetry ◽

Time To Peak ◽

Flow Parameters ◽

Cox Inhibitor ◽

Cutaneous Circulation ◽

Synthase Inhibitor

We tested the hypothesis that cyclooxygenases (COXs) or COX products inhibit nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and thereby mask potential effects of NO on reactive hyperemia in the cutaneous circulation. We performed laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) with intradermal microdialysis in 12 healthy volunteers aged 19–25 yr. LDF was expressed as the percent cutaneous vascular conduction (%CVC) or as the maximum %CVC (%CVCmax) where CVC is LDF/mean arterial pressure. We tested the effects of the nonisoform-specific NO synthase inhibitor nitro-l-arginine (NLA, 10 mM), the nonspecific COX inhibitor ketorolac (Keto, 10 mM), combined NLA + Keto, and NLA + sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 28 mM) on baseline and reactive hyperemia flow parameters. We also examined the effects of isoproterenol, a β-adrenergic agonist that causes prostaglandin-independent vasodilation to correct for the increase in baseline flow caused by Keto. When delivered directly into the intradermal space, Keto greatly augments all aspects of the laser-Doppler flow response to reactive hyperemia: peak reactive hyperemic flow increased from 41 ± 5 to 77 ± 7%CVCmax, time to peak flow increased from 17 ± 3 to 56 ± 24 s, the area under the reactive hyperemic curve increased from 1,417 ± 326 to 3,376 ± 876%CVCmax·s, and the time constant for the decay of peak flow increased from 100 ± 23 to 821 ± 311 s. NLA greatly attenuates the Keto response despite exerting no effects on baseline LDF or on reactive hyperemia when given alone. Low-dose NLA + SNP duplicates the Keto response. Isoproterenol increased baseline and peak reactive flow. These results suggest that COX inhibition unmasks NO dependence of reactive hyperemia in human cutaneous circulation.

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