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Ultrasound/Imaging

Poster Session 2

(592) Assessment of skin microvascular response changes throughout pregnancy using laser speckle contrast imaging

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

3:30 PM – 5:00 PM

Location: Prince George's Exhibit Hall CDE, Lower Atrium Level

Primary & Presenting Author(s)

Viola Seravalli, MD

University of Florence
Florence, Toscana, Italy

Coauthor(s)

MH

Mor Huri, MD

University of Florence
Florence, Toscana, Italy
MS

Michela Santalucia, MD

University of Florence
Florence, Toscana, Italy
GI

Gaia Impastato, MD

University of Florence
Florence, Toscana, Italy
LT

Lorenzo Tofani, N/A

University of Florence
Florence, Toscana, Italy
Mariarosaria Di Tommaso, MD,PhD

Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi
Firenze, Toscana, Italy
FP

Felice Petraglia, MD

Professor
University of Florence
Florence, Toscana, Italy

Objective: To evaluate changes in skin microvascular response throughout pregnancy using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), a novel non-invasive tool for the in vivo assessment of endothelial function, combined with post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH), and to compare measurements with those of non-pregnant healthy subjects.

Study Design: Twenty women with a singleton gestation were prospectively enrolled in the first trimester of pregnancy. Microvascular skin blood flow at the dorsal face of the hand was recorded using LSCI coupled with PORH at each trimester of pregnancy (T1, T2 and T3). Skin perfusion was recorded before (baseline flux), during (occlusion flux) and after (peak flux) a 3-min occlusion obtained with an inflated pneumatic cuff. Variations in the parameters of microvascular reactivity across gestation were assessed. Recordings from the third trimester were then compared with parameters obtained in 20 age-matched non-pregnant female controls.

Results:

The peak flux after occlusion release and the percentage increase of flux from baseline to the peak significantly increased from T1 to T3 (median change 40.9 Perfusion Units, 95% CI 19.3 - 59.5, p< 0.0001 and mean change 58.2%, 95%CI 24.57-91.84, p=0.005, respectively), and both parameters were higher in T3 compared to controls (p=0.03 and < 0.0001, respectively). The time to reach peak perfusion since cuff release and the half recovery time decreased from T1 to T3 (mean change -3.75 s, 95%CI -6.74 - -0.76, p=0.03, and mean change -12.65 s, 95%CI -19.19 - -6.11, p=0.001) and were lower in pregnant women at T3 compared to controls (p=0.006 and p< 0.0001, respectively).

Conclusion:

Microvascular reactivity improves from the first to the third trimester of pregnancy, and in pregnant compared to non-pregnant women. Using LSCI, we have, for the first time, presented objective measures of microvascular function in each trimester of pregnancy. These measures can be used to investigate deviations from normal microvascular response in pathologic conditions, such as preeclampsia, a disorder involving widespread endothelial dysfunction.