title: Cold pressor test using strain-gauge plethysmography.
abstract: This laboratory activity is designed to teach students how to measure forearm muscle blood flow (FBF) to describe the mechanisms of peripheral blood flow thermal regulation in healthy subjects. The cold pressor test (CPT) is the clinical procedure used in the experiment to induce arterial vasoconstriction. Strain-gauge plethysmography is applied on the patient's forearm to noninvasive monitor vasoconstriction effects on local blood perfusion and physiological parameters such as blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). Patients with an altered peripheral vascular resistance (e.g., in hypertension) have different responses to the CPT from healthy subjects. To date, experimental evidence remains unexplained, as we do not know if the BP and HR increase is caused by a decrease in flow rate or an increase in peripheral vascular resistance during the test. To clarify this situation, we have to quantify the parameter we assume is being conditioned by the regulatory physiological intervention, i.e., peripheral vascular resistance. Peripheral vascular resistance quantification can be calculated as the ratio between muscle flow and mean arterial pressure. Students will learn how to apply the instrumental procedure to collect and analyze data before, during, and after the CPT and to describe the physiological responses of the peripheral vascular system to external stressors. They will also learn how to distinguish healthy from pathological responses on the basis of how sympathetic nervous system reactions influence the biomechanics of peripheral vessels.
authors: Postgraduate School in Medical Physics, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; giacomo.feliciani@studio.unibo.it.
authors: Giacomo
authors: G
authors: Feliciani
authors: School of Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy;
authors: Cristiano
authors: C
authors: Peron
authors: School of Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy;
authors: Augusto
authors: A
authors: La Rocca
authors: School of Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy;
authors: Maria Francesca
authors: MF
authors: Scuppa
authors: School of Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy;
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Malavolta
authors: Medical Physics Unit, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, IRCCS-IRST, Meldola, Italy.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Bianchini
authors: Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; and.
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Corazza
authors: Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; and.
authors: Romano
authors: R
authors: Zannoli
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D010827:Physiology / Q000193:education*; D010991:Plethysmography / Q000379:methods; D013337:Students, Medical; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology
keywords: cold pressor test; hypertension; strain-gauge plethysmography; vasoconstriction