Noninvasive Assessment of Endothelial Function in the Skin Microcirculation

Abstract

Endothelial dilatory response to increased blood flow and to acetylcholine are similar in large arteries and in the skin microvasculature. Thus, measurement of blood flow changes in the skin microcirculation using LDF coupled with acetylcholine iontophoresis represents a technically challenging and reliable noninvasive method for the assessment of endothelial function within a large range of normal and altered endothelium responses.