The skin surface microcirculation of conception vessel, governor vessel and thoroughfare vessel in patients with primary dysmenorrhea / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the skin surface microcirculation of acupoints of conception vessel, governor vessel and thoroughfare vessel in patients with primary dysmenorrhea using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), and provide acupoint selection basis of acupuncture-moxibustion for primary dysmenorrhea.@*METHODS@#Ninety-nine healthy female college students with regular menstrual cycles (normal group) and 94 female college students with primary dysmenorrhea (dysmenorrhea group) were recruited. Before menstrual period, on the first day of menstruation, and on the third day after menstruation, LSCI was used to observe the surface microcirculation at the abdominal acupoints of conception vessel, i. e. Yinjiao (CV 7), Qihai (CV 6), Shimen (CV 5), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3) and Qugou (CV 2), acupoints of thoroughfare vessel, i. e. Huangshu (KI 16), Zhongzhu (KI 15), Siman (KI 14), Qixue (KI 13), Dahe (KI 12), Henggu (KI 11) and acupoints of lumbosacral region of governor vessel, i. e. Xuanshu (GV 5), Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Yaoshu (GV 2) as well as two non-acupoints.@*RESULTS@#Before menstrual period, there was no significant difference in the surface blood perfusion of the acupoints between the dysmenorrhea group and the normal group (P>0.05). On the first day of menstruation, the surface blood perfusion of Xuanshu (GV 5), Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3) and right Huangshu (KI 16) in the dysmenorrhea group was higher than that in the normal group (P<0.05, P<0.01). On the third day after menstruation, the surface blood perfusion of the right Henggu (KI 11) in the dysmenorrhea group was lower than that in the normal group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#In patients with primary dysmenorrhea, on the first day of menstruation, the surface blood perfusion of Xuanshu (GV 5), Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3) of governor vessel, and the right Huangshu (KI 16) of thoroughfare vessel is increased, while on the third day after menstruation, the surface blood perfusion of the right Henggu (KI 11) of thoroughfare vessel is decreased. These findings might provide a basis for acupoint selection in the acupuncture-moxibustion treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.

Dietary supplementation with whey protein improves systemic microvascular function in heart failure patients: a pilot study

Endothelial dysfunction is a well-known component of the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF), with proven prognostic value. Dietary supplementation with whey protein (WP) has been widely used to increase skeletal muscle mass, but it also has vascular effects, which are less understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of WP supplementation on the systemic microvascular function of HF patients. This was a blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial that evaluated the effects of 12-week WP dietary supplementation on systemic microvascular function, in patients with HF New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes I/II. Cutaneous microvascular flow and reactivity were assessed using laser speckle contrast imaging, coupled with pharmacological local vasodilator stimuli. Fifteen patients (aged 64.5±6.2 years, 11 males) received WP supplementation and ten patients (aged 68.2±8.8 years, 8 males) received placebo (maltodextrin). The increase in endothelial-dependent microvascular vasodilation, induced by skin iontophoresis of acetylcholine, was improved after WP (P=0.03) but not placebo (P=0.37) supplementation. Moreover, endothelial-independent microvascular vasodilation induced by skin iontophoresis of sodium nitroprusside, was also enhanced after WP (P=0.04) but not placebo (P=0.42) supplementation. The results suggested that dietary supplementation with WP improved systemic microvascular function in patients with HF.

The use of laser speckle contrast imaging in clinical applications

Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) is a useful device which is recruited for visualizing full-field microcirculatory images. The speckle pattern is produced as a consistent light illuminates a rough object, and the backscattered radiation is transformed into images and be shown on a screen. Movement within the object results in the fluctuation of patterns over time. Similar information can be attained by employing the Doppler effect, which needs to be scanned again. However, LSCI renders similar data without any further scanning procedure. Nowadays, LSCI has gained expanded consideration, in part because of its accelerated adoption for blood flow studies in the different surgical departments. Here we represent and review the application of LSCI methods of visualizing the field of microcirculation as medical applications from different clinical aspects and discuss the drawbacks that hinder its approval clinically

Retracted: A review of the clinical applications and performance of laser speckle contrast imaging

Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) is a useful tool for visualizing full-field blood flow images. Speckle pattern is formed when a coherent light illuminates a rough object, and the backscattered radiation is transformed into images and be shown on a screen. Movement within the object results in the fluctuation of patterns over time. The same data can be obtained by employing the Doppler effect, yet producing a two-dimensional Doppler map needs scanning;speckle imaging renders the same information without the requirement to scan. Nowadays, LSCI has gained expanded consideration, in part because of its accelerated adoption for blood flow studies in the different surgical departments. Here we represent and review the application of laser speckle contrast methods to the field of perfusion visualization as clinical studies from various medical fields and discuss the limitations hindering clinical acceptance

Evaluation of a replanted finger and measuring its perfusion changes to predict its viability by laser speckle contrast imaging

Background:This research aims to monitor the microcirculation of the replanted finger, which was entirely severed by using laser speckle contrast imaging(LSCI)for early detection and revision of vascular compromise for successful finger replantation. Methods:These six months of research was taken for a survey of 40 cases of replanted fingers of patients of distinct ages and sex. Scrutinizing was done postoperatively by LSCI, every hourly for seven days, to assess changes in blood perfusion both in replanted fingers and healthy ones and analyzed graphically.Results:Initially, from postoperative d=0 to d=2, the perfusion value was at baseline, which ranged 40±15 perfusion unit (PU), showing a wave-like curve, then gradually increased up to 350±50 PU or above in case of those which survived successfully, showing continuous peak slope. However, a gradual drop in perfusion, <35 PU from d=2 or d=3, was seen in those despite undergoing heparinized finger pin-prick bleeding therapy and failed to thrive, showing a downslope curve. Whereas some were under meticulous observation, which flourished lately. Concurrently, a comparison was made with the healthy fingers’ of the same patient, ranging from 200±50 to as high as 400±50 or above. Clinical correlation, as well as perfusion readings of LCSI, were done simultaneously.Conclusions:LSCI provides sensitive and reproducible finger microcirculation measurements and is reliable in predicting reductions in blood perfusion induced by venous or arterial occlusion. It is, therefore, an informative device to detect microvascular compromise during and after replantation surgery

Application of laser speckle contrast imaging technology to researches on acupuncture and microcirculation / 针刺研究

The therapeutic effect of acupuncture is often closely related to the improvement of microcirculation. Acupuncture stimulation can adjust pathophysiological changes of microcirculation in the human body through multiple ways, multiple links and multiple levels, healing disorders at last. Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), an emerging technology, can be used to study the effect of acupuncture on microcirculation. In this paper, retrieving the related literature published in recent years, we found that LSCI technology has already been applied to the following aspects 1) acupoint-viscera and microcirculation, 2) stimulation-induced transmission of sensations along the meridian and microcirculation, 3) non-meridians or non-acupoints and microcirculation, 4) specific acupoints and microcirculation, as well as 5) different acupuncture needle manipulations and microcirculation. However, most of the studies focused on animal experiments and healthy subjects, observing microcirculatory effects under normal physiological conditions, and the sample size of participants was smaller. In the future, we highly recommend that increasing the sample size and further studying the local microcirculation are necessary in the pathological state of diseases.

Penile microvascular endothelial function in hypertensive patients: effects of acute type 5 phosphodiesterase inhibition

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate penile endothelial microvascular function in patients with primary arterial hypertension and age-matched normotensive subjects using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI). Additionally, we analyzed the acute penile microvascular effects induced by oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (sildenafil; SIL) administration. Endothelium-dependent microvascular reactivity was evaluated in the penises and forearms of hypertensive patients (aged 58.8±6.6 years, n=34) and age-matched healthy volunteers (n=33) at rest and 60 min following oral SIL (100 mg) administration. LSCI was coupled with cutaneous acetylcholine (ACh) iontophoresis using increasing anodal currents. Basal penile cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) values were not significantly different between control subjects and hypertensive individuals. Penile CVC values increased significantly after SIL administration in control (P<0.0001) and hypertensive (P<0.0001) subjects. Peak CVC values were not different between the two groups during penile ACh iontophoresis before SIL administration (P=0.2052). Peak CVC values were higher in control subjects than in hypertensive subjects after SIL administration (P=0.0427). Penile endothelium-dependent microvascular function is, to some extent, preserved in patients presenting with primary arterial hypertension under effective anti-hypertensive treatment. LSCI may be a valuable non-invasive tool for the evaluation of penile vascular responses to phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor.

A new method for evaluating regional cerebral blood flow changes: Laser speckle contrast imaging in a C57BL/6J mouse model of photothrombotic ischemia / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

The present study aimed to improve the processing of data acquired from laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) to provide a standardization method to explore changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and to determine the correlations among rCBF, cerebral ischemic lesion volume and microvascular density over time in a focal ischemic region. C57BL/6J mice were subjected to focal photothrombotic (PT) ischemia. rCBF was measured using LSCI at different time points before and after PT ischemia through an intact skull. Standardized rCBF (SrCBF), defined as the ratio of rCBF measured in the ipsilateral region of interest (ROI) to that in the corresponding contralateral region, was calculated to evaluate potential changes. In addition, the volume of the ischemic lesion and the microvascular density were determined using Nissl staining and immunofluorescence, respectively. The relationships among the ischemic lesion volume, microvascular density and SrCBF were analyzed over time. The results showed that the cortical rCBF measured using LSCI following PT ischemia in the C57BL/6J mice gradually increased. Changes in the cerebral ischemic lesion volume were negatively correlated with SrCBF in the ischemic region. Changes in the microvascular density were similar to those observed in SrCBF. Our findings indicate that LSCI is a practical technique for observing changes in murine cortical rCBF without skull opening and for analyzing the relationships among the ischemic lesion volume, microvascular density and SrCBF following focal cerebral ischemia. Preliminary results also suggest that the use of LSCI to observe the formation of collateral circulation is feasible.

Progress on Optical Imaging of Functional Brain With High Temporal and Spatial Resolution / 生物化学与生物物理进展

Techniques for functional brain imaging are critical to analyze the information processing of brain and to reveal the advanced functions in brain. These techniques are the hot topics of international research. Great success has been obtained with neuroimaging techniques in the fields of neuroscience research and clinical diagnosis. Existing brain functional imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI),positron emission tomography (PET),electroencephalogram (EEG),magnetoencephalography (MEG) and so on,have been successfully used to study brain function. However,these methods have some limitations unavoidably in the temporal or spatial resolution at present. Comparatively,the optical imaging technologies of brain function show their unique charms. Laser speckle imaging (LSI) and intrinsic optical signals imaging (IOSI) stand out because they offer a superior combination of spatial sampling,spatial resolution and temporal resolution; on the other hand,they have no need to use exogenous contrast agents. Great developments also have been obtained in both techniques and applications of brain optical imaging,and they have become powerful tools for in vivo studying functional architecture and pathophysiology in cerebral cortex by monitoring hemodynamics. However,the two optical imaging techniques are confronted with some challenges.