Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Prof. Dr. Med. Habil. F. Wenzel, Hochschule Furtwangen, Campus Schwenningen, Fakultät
Medical and Life Sciences, – Medizinische Diagnostik, Jakob-Kienzle-Str. 17, 78054 Villingen-Schwenningen.
Germany. Tel.: +49 07720 307 4358; E-mail: wfo@hs-furtwangen.de.
Abstract: INTRODUCTION:Nowadays obesity is a widespread health challenge, be it for the person, the society or the health system. Obesity is divided into different classifications using the BMI. In this study, the cutaneous microcirculation of obese patients was measured during a rehabilitation stay. MATERIALS AND METHODS:The study involved 25 patients, who were treated because of their obesity in rehabilitation (mean BMI of 44.75 kg/m2 (7 females and 18 males)). The 11 controls had an average BMI of 24.93 kg/m2 (3 females and 8 males). The PeriFlux 5000 by Perimed Instruments GmbH was used in order to measure the microcirculation in a skin area of about 1 mm3 on the left middle finger. RESULTS:The baseline LDF-value of the obese patients was at the beginning of the rehabilitation 256.73±11.64 PU and at the end at 312.46±15.51 PU. Immediately after exercise, the microcirculation decreased to a mean value of 254.57±11.67 PU at beginning of the rehabilitation. At the end, the microcirculation decreased to a mean value of 306.94±11.75 PU. The control group’s microcirculation at the baseline was at 205.2±20.91 PU and under heat provocation at 394.36±25.03 PU. CONCLUSION:In obese patients, it could be observed that during a rehabilitation interval of three weeks not only the body weight showed a reduction but also in parallel an improvement in cutaneous microcirculation could be seen. So stimulating und monitoring of cutaneous microcirculation may be a supportive parameter in therapeutic strategies for obese patients.
