OBJECTIVE

To evaluate cutaneous microvascular changes in skin areas with different structural organization and function depending on body mass index (BMI) in normotensive men.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 43 normotensive men aged 30 to 60 years (46 [40; 49]) with average 24-hour systolic blood pressure (SBP) <130 and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) <80 mm Hg according to the ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). All participants underwent laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) on the forearm and finger with constrictor and dilator functional tests, blood samples, echocardiography, ABPM. The included participants were assigned into three groups according to BMI: group 1 included 15 men with BMI <25 kg/m², group 2 — 21 patients with BMI 25—29.99 kg/m², group 3 — 7 individuals with BMI 30—34.99 kg/m².

RESULTS

According to LDF with amplitude-frequency wavelet analysis of blood flow oscillations, no significant differences in basal skin perfusion between groups were revealed. Constrictor activity during breath-holding test also did not reveal significant differences between the groups. As BMI increases there is a significant decrease in postocclusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) in the forearm 264, 239 and 211% (p<0.05), and in the finger 130, 110% (p<0.05) and 109% (p<0.05), respectively. PORH on forearm and finger reliably (p<0.05) correlates with BMI (r= –0.33; r= –0.43), SBP (r= –0.43; r= –0.34), DBP (r= –0.43; r= –0.39), LVM (r= –0.32; r= –0.35) and uric acid (r= –0.36; r= –0.41) respectively. Uric acid significantly correlates with skin microvessels constrictor activity on finger during breath-holding test (r=0.48; p<0.005), LVM (r=0.45; p<0.005), SBP (r=0.55; p<0.0005) as well as DBP (r=0.34; p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

According to LDF no differences in functional state of regulatory mechanisms of skin microvasculature in rest and during breath-holding test in normotensive men depending on BMI were revealed. As BMI increases dilator reserve during PORH decreases.