Evaluation of a combined laser Doppler flowmetry and iontophoresis technique for the assessment of equine cutaneous microvascular function

B C McGorum, A J Milne, W H Tremaine, B P R Sturgeon, M McLaren, F Khan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

A combined laser Doppler flowmetry and iontophoresis (LDFI) technique, used routinely to assess human microvascular function, was evaluated as a noninvasive technique for assessment of equine microvascular function, to facilitate the study of diseases such as laminitis. Baseline and vasoactive agonist-induced (acetylcholine and nitroprusside) microvascular flux was quantified at 2 sites (on the dorsal pastern adjacent to the coronary band and over the gluteals) in 6 clinically normal horses on 5 or 6 separate occasions under standardised conditions. Both agonists significantly increased microvascular flux. Skin pigmentation significantly attenuated the baseline flux, but not the magnitude of the agonist-mediated vasodilatory response. While LDFI was simple to perform, its value as a clinical and research tool for assessing the equine cutaneous microcirculation is limited by its poor reliability, as indicated by the marked intra- and intersubject variability in baseline and agonist-mediated microvascular flux.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)732-736
Number of pages5
JournalEquine Veterinary Journal
Volume34
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2002

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