title: Reflectance confocal-laser-scanning microscopy in vivo assessments of cigarette-induced dynamic alterations of cutaneous microcirculation on histomorphological level.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Until now, high resolution reflectance confocal-laser-scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used for observation of cutaneous morphology in vivo and in real time. We hypothesized that CLSM also allows observation of dynamic processes of cutaneous microcirculation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reflectance CLSM (Vivascope1500; Lucid, Rochester, NY) was performed in 24 young male habitual smokers (23 years, range: 19-26, body mass index 23.9 +/- 4.04) with relatively limited cigarette exposure (mean: 3.1 +/- 2.4 pack-years). Eight matched nonsmokers served as controls. The quantitative blood cell flow and the diameter of capillary loops were determined prior (baseline), during, as well as 5 and 10 min after smoking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline value for blood cell flow was 55.50 +/- 2.33 cells/min, and decreased over 45% during smoking (30.43 +/- 3.76/min; P = 0.02). They were still 22% lower (43.33 +/- 2.45/min; P = 0.01) 5 min after smoking and exceeded baseline values 10 min after smoking by 13% (63.00 +/- 3.10/min; P > 0.05). The baseline values for capillary loop diameter (9.03 +/- 0.22 microm) decreased by 21% (7.18 +/- 0.28 microm; P = 0.03) during smoking, remained about 9% (8.23 +/- 0.18 microm; P = 0.01) lower 5 min after smoking and exceeded baseline values insignificantly by 4% (9.38 +/- 0.28 microm; P > 0.05) 10 min after smoking. There were no significant differences to the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reflectance CLSM enables qualitative and quantitative observation of dynamic processes of cutaneous microcirculation on histomorphological level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Hand, and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical School Hannover, 30625 Hannover, Germany. Dr.med.Altintas@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mehmet Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Altintas
authors.forename: Ahmet Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Altintas
authors.forename: Merlin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guggenheim
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gohritz
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meyer-Marcotty
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Vogt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002196:Capillaries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult