title: Exercise and Repeated Testing Improves Accuracy of Laser Doppler Assessment of Microvascular Function Following Shortened (1-minute) Blood Flow Occlusion.
abstract: To determine whether stability/accuracy of post-occlusive LDF following shortened, one-minute blood flow occlusion, increases in the post-exercise state or by averaging multiple measurements.
  
  
  
  Six healthy adults (3F) underwent LDF eight times at rest and following exercise, assessing post-occlusive (one-minute occlusion) reactive hyperemia in the cutaneous microcirculation of the forefinger. Measured variables included: pre- and post-occlusion steady-state perfusion (Plat1, Plat2), maximum post-occlusive perfusion (Max), PkT, and the ratio Max/Plat1.
  
  
  
  Stability/accuracy of all variables improved performing measurements after exercise (p < 0.05 Plat 1, Plat 2, Max and Max/Plat1). PkT and Max/Plat 1 displayed the greatest accuracy at rest (26.6 ± 5.1% and 26.6 ± 4.4% average difference, %Diff, of single measurements from individual "true" means, respectively); for these variables, %Diff improved to 19.5 ± 5.3 and 17.6 ± 2.1, respectively, following exercise. Overall, averaging multiple measurements performed at rest also improved stability/accuracy in all variables. This improvement was comparable to that obtained with a single measurement following exercise.
  
  
  
  A standardized exercise stimulus prior to testing significantly improves stability/accuracy of LDF following shortened, one-minute blood flow occlusion. Our results suggest the possibilities of broader applications of exercise to optimize measurements from a variety of skin perfusion methodologies.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.
authors.forename: Charlene
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.
authors.forename: Danica Rose
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Rogacion
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tfaye
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.
authors.forename: Goutham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ganesan
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.
authors.forename: Pietro R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Galassetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: exercise; laser Doppler flowmetry; post-occlusive reactive hyperemia; reliability