Affiliations: [a] Department of Surgery, Sørlandet Sykehus Kristiansand, Kristiansand, Norway
| [b] Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| [c] Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, CIUS/NTNU/St. Olavs Hospital, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| [d] Department of Vascular Surgery, Section of Vascular Investigations, Division of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Diseases, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| [e] Department of Vascular Surgery, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Arne Seternes, Department of Vascular Surgery, St. Olavs Hospital, PB 3250 Torgarden, 7006 Trondheim, Norway. Tel.: +47 906 76 887; E-mail: arne.seternes@stolav.no.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE:In this proof-of-concept study we aim to validate a novel ultrasound Doppler monitoring device for evaluating microcirculation (earlybird) against LDF and pulsed Doppler. METHODS:In ten healthy subjects, we measured microcirculatory function at rest and during different autonomic tests (forced respiration, isometric exercise, Valsalva maneuver and cold pressor). Earlybird, LDF and pulsed Doppler were recorded simultaneously. We performed a ZNCC to determine correlation. RESULTS:The curves for earlybird and LDF or pulsed Doppler correlates visually well. Overall median ZNCC 0.87 (interquartile range 0.77 –0.91) between the LDF and earlybird measurements, and 0.90 (0.82 – 0.95) for pulsed Doppler and earlybird. Median ZNCC for baseline and each provocation test for earlybird against LDF and pulsed Doppler were calculated; baseline: LDF 0.87 (0.73 – 0.97) pulsed Doppler 0.91 (0.81 – 0.94), forced respiration: LDF 0.87 (0.28 – 0.90) pulsed Doppler 0.90 (0.85 – 0.96), isometric exercise: LDF 0.82 (0.59 – 0.90) pulsed Doppler 0.87 (0.68 – 0.94), Valsalva maneuver: LDF 0.88 (0.82 – 0.91) pulsed Doppler 0.94 (0.92 – 0.97) and cold pressor: LDF 0.90 (0.85 – 0.95) pulsed Doppler 0.89 (0.65 – 0.94). CONCLUSION:Earlybird records vasoconstrictions in healthy subjects as well as LDF and pulsed Doppler.
