Month-to-Month Variability of Cutaneous Blood Flow Measured by Incoherent Optical Fluctuation Flowmetry During Occlusion and Local Thermal Functional Tests

The aim of the present study was to assess variations in blood flow parameters from month to month during functional tests in conditionally healthy individuals. Ten volunteers (age: 36.4 ± 14.3 years) were included in the study. Cutaneous blood flow was assessed using incoherent optical fluctuation flowmetry (IOFF). Each study was performed monthly for 9 months (March to November). Blood flow was recorded simultaneously in perfusion units (PU) from 3 channels on the right and left sides of the body (6 in total) during an occlusion (index finger) and local thermal (dorsum of the foot and big toe) functional tests. As a result, we found clear differences in perfusion values from month to month. We also found a significant correlation between perfusion and temperature in the test room. Thus, we can conclude that when measuring skin blood flow, it is not sufficient to maintain a constant probe temperature, but that the temperature of the test room must be carefully controlled. In addition, multidirectional differences in vascular reactivity were observed depending on the month on the glabrous (index finger, big toe) and nonglabrous (dorsum of the foot) skin. The study will be continued.