Abstract
This investigation evaluates the accuracy of television microscopy when applied to studies of skin capillary hemodynamics in newborn infants. Microscopic videorecordings of 16 nailfold capillaries in 5 healthy neonates were analyzed by a computerized videophotometric system (Capiflow®, Capiflow AB, Kista, Sweden). In each capillary, the skin capillary blood cell velocity (CBV) and the capillary erythrocyte column diameter were simultaneously determined at an average of four different locations, equally distributed on the arteriolar and venular side of the capillary. At each measuring site (n = 64), repeated determinations of the CBV (x 4) and capillary dimension (x 8) were performed by re-analyzing the same 2-min videotape sequence.
The coefficient of variation (CV = ISD/mean × 100 %) for repeated CBV measurements, was 3.4 (0.9 — 13) %. The corresponding CV value for diameter measurements was 6.7 (0.5 — 12) %. The method's validity was tested by calculating capillary blood cell flow values, which were assumed to be the same in simultaneously studied but different sections of the capillary. A high correlation was found between arteriolar and venular side capillary blood cell flow (r = 0.94, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Videophotometric microscopy give reliable and valid measurements of neonatal nailfold CBV and capillary dimensions.
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Norman, M., Ilerin, P. & Fagrell, B. SKIN CAPILLARY BLOOD FLOW DETERMINATIONS IN NEONATES – EVALUATION OF A VIDEOPHOTOMETRIC MICROSCOPY METHOD. Pediatr Res 32, 614 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199211000-00058
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199211000-00058