title: Effect of atrial natriuretic factor on skin microcirculation versus skeletal muscle blood flow.
abstract: The response of the skin microcirculation and of forearm skeletal muscle blood flow to infusion of alpha-human (99-126) atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) into the brachial artery was investigated in 15 young (18-25 years) healthy volunteers in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. The forearm blood flow (FBF) was measured with venous occlusion plethysmography, and the skin flux was measured by using laser Doppler fluxmetry (LDF). Dose-response curves were made using increasing dosages of ANF: 1, 10, and 100 ng/min/dl forearm volume. The FBF showed a significant, dose-dependent increase during ANF infusion, averaging 107 + 22% during the highest ANF dosage, as compared with -5 +/- 9% during placebo (p < 0.001). For the LDF, these numbers were 34 +/- 21 and -6 +/- 10%, respectively (NS). In two subgroups of subjects, the effect of ANF on microvascular reactivity was assessed by registering the vasoconstrictor response to cold exposure (n = 7) and the vasodilator response to arterial occlusion (n = 7). ANF did not change the microvascular response to these stimuli. ANF induces a dose-dependent increase in skeletal muscle BF without a relevant response in the skin microcirculation. ANF does not play an important role in the regulation of skin perfusion.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Branten
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wollersheim
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thien
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004232:Diuretics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004232:Diuretics; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor