Premium
Skin microcirculation before and after local warming in infants delivered vaginally or by caesarean section
Author(s) -
Martin H,
Norman M
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1997.tb08886.x
Subject(s) - hyperaemia , medicine , vasomotion , microcirculation , perfusion , laser doppler velocimetry , caesarean section , anesthesia , blood flow , pregnancy , biology , genetics
To elucidate early postnatal changes in skin microcirculation, term newborn infants were studied at 2,6 and 24 h after vaginal delivery (VD, n = 20) or elective caesarean section (CS, n = 10). Laser Doppler technique was used to measure perfusion, rhythmical perfusion changes, i.e. vasomotion, and reactive hyperaemia of the dorsal hand, before and after local warming of the skin to 37°C. The skin perfusion and the magnitude of reactive hyperaemia (mean 85%) remained essentially unchanged, while vasomotion increased from 0–5 to 2–8 cycles/min ( p < 0.001) during the first day of life. Local warming of the skin promoted microcirculation slightly at 2 h and more markedly at 24 h postnatal age. The CS group showed a higher degree of skin perfusion, vasomotion and reactive hyperaemia than did VD infants at 2 h postnatal age. Our findings most likely reflect skin microcirculatory effects of birth‐related events, such as a drop in body temperature, sympathoadrenal activation and placental transfusion.