Impaired transient vasodilation and increased vasoconstriction to digital local cooling in primary Raynaud's phenomenon

2011 ◽  
Vol 301 (2) ◽  
pp. H324-H330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthieu Roustit ◽  
Sophie Blaise ◽  
Claire Millet ◽  
Jean-Luc Cracowski

Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is defined as episodic ischemia of the extremities in response to cold. Although the structure of skin capillaries is normal in primary RP, some data suggest impairment of microvascular function. We aimed at testing whether digital skin blood flow was lower in RP than in controls while cooling locally. We further evaluated the contribution of sensory nerves in the response. We recruited 21 patients with primary RP and 20 healthy volunteers matched on age and gender. After a 10-min baseline at 33°C, skin temperature was cooled at 15 or 24°C during 30 min on the forearm and the finger while monitoring perfusion with a custom-design laser Doppler flowmetry probe. Perfusion was also assessed after topical anesthesia. Blood flow was expressed as cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC). Data were subsequently expressed as area above the curve (AAC0–30) of the percentage decrease from baseline CVC (%BL). CVC on the dorsum of the finger was lower in RP patients compared with controls at 15°C (AAC0–30 were 106,237.2 and 69,544.3%BL·s, respectively; P = 0.02) and at 24°C (AAC0–30 were 86,915 and 57,598%BL·s, respectively; P = 0.04) whereas we observed no significant difference on the finger pad and the forearm. Topical anesthesia increased CVC in patients with RP ( P = 0.05), whereas it did not affect reactivity in controls ( P = 0.86). Our study shows exaggerated skin microvascular vasoconstriction to local cooling on the dorsum of the finger in primary RP compared with controls. Part of this abnormal response in primary RP depends on sensitive nerves.

2019 ◽  
Vol 127 (5) ◽  
pp. 1478-1490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony I. Shepherd ◽  
Joseph T. Costello ◽  
Stephen J. Bailey ◽  
Nicolette Bishop ◽  
Alex J. Wadley ◽  
...  

Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP) is characterized by recurrent transient peripheral vasospasm and lower nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability in the cold. We investigated the effect of nitrate-rich beetroot juice (BJ) supplementation on 1) NO-mediated vasodilation, 2) cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) and skin temperature (Tsk) following local cooling, and 3) systemic anti-inflammatory status. Following baseline testing, 23 individuals with RP attended four times, in a double-blind, randomized crossover design, following acute and chronic (14 days) BJ and nitrate-depleted beetroot juice (NDBJ) supplementation. Peripheral Tsk and CVC were measured during and after mild hand and foot cooling, and during transdermal delivery of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside. Markers of anti-inflammatory status were also measured. Plasma nitrite concentration ([nitrite]) was increased in the BJ conditions ( P < 0.001). Compared with the baseline visit, thumb CVC was greater following chronic-BJ (Δ2.0 flux/mmHg, P = 0.02) and chronic-NDBJ (Δ1.45 flux/mmHg, P = 0.01) supplementation; however, no changes in Tsk were observed ( P > 0.05). Plasma [interleukin-10] was greater, pan endothelin and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) were reduced, and forearm endothelial function was improved, by both BJ and NDBJ supplementation ( P < 0.05). Acute and chronic BJ and NDBJ supplementation improved anti-inflammatory status, endothelial function and blood pressure (BP). CVC following cooling increased post chronic-BJ and chronic-NDBJ supplementation, but no effect on Tsk was observed. The key findings are that beetroot supplementation improves thumb blood flow, improves endothelial function and anti-inflammatory status, and reduces BP in people with Raynaud’s. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to examine the effect of dietary nitrate supplementation in individuals with Raynaud’s phenomenon. The principal novel findings from this study were that both beetroot juice and nitrate-depleted beetroot juice 1) increased blood flow in the thumb following a cold challenge; 2) enhanced endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation in the forearm; 3) reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and pan-endothelin concentration; and 4) improved inflammatory status in comparison to baseline.


1995 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-Tung Lau ◽  
Chi-Feng Liu ◽  
C. C. Tsai

1. Vasoconstrictor responses to inspiratory gasp were determined in fingertip skin by laser Doppler flowmetry in relation to age and gender of healthy adults. Variations of the responses were examined together with variations in body mass index and vital capacity. 2. In the absence of any significant difference in the baseline blood flow, the index of vasoconstrictor response (per cent change) induced by inspiratory gasp was higher in young males than in young females (71.4% versus 59.4%; P<0.05), and in the same direction as the change in vital capacity determined in the same laboratory setting. Similar parallel differences in the indexes of vasoconstrictor response and vital capacity existed between young and middle-aged males, suggesting that the differences observed were not due to gender or age per se. 3. Strong positive correlations between the index of the vasoconstrictor response and vital capacity in the same subject were found when young males and females were pooled together and when young and middle-aged males were pooled together. Furthermore, after graded inspiratory gasp, graded vasoconstrictor response was observed in the same subject, indicating a close relationship between the depth of inspiration (magnitude of stimulus) and the index of the vasoconstrictor response (reactivity). 4. We concluded that the index of the vasoconstrictor response induced by inspiratory gasp depends significantly on the magnitude of the vital capacity. These results provide a new approach for quantifying dynamic changes in skin blood flow and raise caveats about comparing differences in neurovascular functions using single measurements of vasoconstrictor response induced by inspiratory gasp as an index.


VASA ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 243-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drinda ◽  
Neumann ◽  
Pöhlmann ◽  
Vogelsang ◽  
Stein ◽  
...  

Background: Prostanoids are used in the treatment of Raynaud’s phenomenon and acral perfusion disorders secondary to collagenosis. In subjective terms, intravenous administration of these agents produces success in more than 50% of patients. The therapeutic outcome of clinical administration of alprostadil or iloprost may vary from individual to individual. Patients and methods: The following variables were analysed in a cross-over study in 27 patients with collagenosis and Raynaud’s phenomenon: plasma viscosity and erythrocyte aggregation (rheological variables), partial pressure of oxygen and laser Doppler flowmetry in the finger region, and lymphocyte phenotyping and interleukin (IL) determinations (immunological variables). Results: Laser Doppler flowmetry revealed significant differences between patients with secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon and a control group of 25 healthy subjects. Laser Doppler readings did not change significantly as a result of the treatments. Therapy with iloprost produced a reduction in IL-1beta, L-selectin (CD 62 L) and IL-6. Conclusion: The change in immunological variables due to iloprost may explain the long-term effects of prostaglandins in the treatment of Raynaud’s phenomenon. From our results it is not possible to infer any preference for iloprost or alprostadil.


2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hakan Develioglu ◽  
Bülent Kesim ◽  
Aykut Tuncel

The purposes of this study were to compare the gingival blood flow (GBF) in test sites (teeth retaining fixed partial dentures) and control sites (contralateral natural teeth) and investigate whether there is any relationship between clinical indices and GBF values. Twelve healthy subjects (6 females and 6 males) aged 20 to 54 years were enrolled this study. The GBF was measured from the middle point of the marginal gingiva in the test and control sites using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Additionally, plaque index, gingival index and probing depth measurements were recorded. Statistically significant difference (p<0.05) was found between the test and control sites for marginal GBF. In contrast, no significant difference (p>0.05) was found between test and control sites with respect to the clinical indices, except for plaque index. The findings of this study suggest that there is a significant relation between resin-bonded fixed partial dentures with margins located subgingivally and marginal GBF. Clinical indices are helpful to collect information about the clinical health status of gingival tissues, but GBF is a good tool to measure gingival tissue blood flow and assess periodontal health. In conclusion, laser Doppler flowmetry can be used together with clinical indices to evaluate the marginal gingival health.


Stroke ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yosuke Akamatsu ◽  
Chih C Lee ◽  
Ruikang K Wang ◽  
Jialing Liu

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major risk factor for stroke, yet it is unclear whether T2DM associated-poor outcome after stroke is related to unfavorable cerebral blood flow dynamics. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of T2DM on acute blood flow dynamics and stroke outcome. Methood: Adult male db/db and db/+ mice (8-9 weeks of age) were subjected to permanent distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAo). Neurologic deficit was assessed with a 5-point scoring system (0 to 4) and infarction volume was determined at 48 hours after pMCAo by TTC staining. Hemodynamics was evaluated by laser doppler flowmetry. The number of connecting collateral vessels, functional microvascular network morphology, and vessel area density of the ischemic hemisphere were determined by DiI-labeling, and optical coherence tomography (OCT), respectively. Results: db/db mice had a higher baseline blood glucose level (341±39.7 vs. 172±26.5 mg/dl, p <0.01) and a larger infarct volume after pMCAO compared to db/+ mice (69.5±5.4 vs. 51.0±3.1 mm 3 , p <0.01). Neurologic deficit did not differ between groups at 2 hours after pMCAO, but was significantly worse in the db/db at 24 hours after pMCAo compared to db/+ mice (1.9±0.1 vs. 1.4±0.2, p <0.05), correlated with lower rCBF in the core of the MCA territory at 24 and 48 hours (10.9%±1.1 vs. 14.4%±0.8, p <0.05 and 9.5%±1.0 vs. 14.1%±1.2, p =0.01). Ipsilateral functional microvascular density as detected by OCT did not differ between groups at one hour after occlusion but was significantly lower in the db/db mice at 24 hr after pMCAo ( p <0.05). However, we did not observe a significant difference in the number of connecting collateral arteries between groups at 48 hours after pMCAo in this age group. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that T2DM is associated with lower rCBF and lower density of functional blood vessels during the acute phase of pMCAo, which might in part, contribute to the observed worse outcome in the db/db mice. Ongoing experiments will investigate whether T2DM affects the flow dynamics in individual collateral following MCA occlusion and outward remodeling of the collateral vessels.


2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
MUHAMMAD S. SOYFOO ◽  
AHMED GOUBELLA ◽  
ELIE COGAN ◽  
JEAN-CLAUDE WAUTRECHT ◽  
ANNICK OCMANT ◽  
...  

Objective.To describe the clinical findings and prevalence of patients with cryofibrinogenemia (CF) and to determine whether CF is associated with primary Raynaud’s phenomenon.Methods.Between June 2006 and December 2009, 227 patients were tested for CF in a single university hospital. Forty-five patients with primary Raynaud’s phenomenon were tested for CF.Results.A total of 117 patients with CF without cryoglobulinemia were included. The main clinical manifestations included skin manifestations (50%) and arthralgia (35%). There were 67 patients with primary CF and 50 patients with secondary CF. There was no significant difference in the mean concentration of the cryoprecipitate in primary CF as compared to the secondary form (172 ± 18.6 vs 192 ± 20.9 mg/dl, respectively; p = 0.41). Highest concentrations of cryoprecipitate were observed in those containing fibrinogen only as compared to cryoprecipitates containing fibrinogen and fibronectin (301 ± 43.5 vs 125 ± 10.6 mg/dl; p < 0.001). Patients having skin necrosis (n = 3) had significantly higher values of cryofibrinogen compared to those without necrosis (638 ± 105 vs 160 ± 10.2 mg/dl; p = 0.0046). Among the 45 patients with primary Raynaud’s phenomenon, 36 had associated CF. There was no significant difference in the mean concentration of the cryoprecipitate in these patients compared to those with primary CF.Conclusion.There seems to be a significant correlation between cryofibrinogen concentration and the severity of the clinical signs, particularly when cryoprecipitate is composed of fibrinogen alone. CF might have a possible pathophysiological role in primary Raynaud’s phenomenon.


1987 ◽  
Vol 117 (6) ◽  
pp. 751-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.H.A. RUSTIN ◽  
N.E. ALMOND ◽  
J.A. BEACHAM ◽  
R.J. BROOKS ◽  
D.P. JONES ◽  
...  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document