Hashmi Farina, Malone-Lee James
Department of Medicine, University College London, London, UK.
Skin Res Technol. 2007 Aug;13(3):252-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0846.2007.00216.x.
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The Cutometer 580 MPA is a device that is designed to measure the viscoelastic properties of skin in response to the application of negative pressure. The aim of this study was to test the Cutometer 580 MPA for the repeatable, quantitative measurement of the specific indices of elasticity of pedal skin. The device was used to measure and compare these indices at weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing skin sites on the foot.
The relationship between the pressure application and skin displacement was determined. The inter- and intra-tester repeatability was tested. These series of experiments were conducted on 20 individuals. Data were then collected from a group of 87 healthy people for the measurement of elasticity, viscoelasticity and plasticity on several sites on the foot. The possible influences of physiological variables such as age and sex on the indices of elasticity were analysed.
The Hookian elastic behaviour of the skin was confirmed. The pressure application did not remain constant during the collection of displacement data, resulting in an error in these readings of between 1.71% and 3.73%. Intra-tester and variability was minimal (CV<7%). The elasticity, viscoelasticity and plasticity indices were significantly greater (P<0.001) in dorsal skin compared with skin from medial longitudinal arch (MLA) and plantar aspect of the third metatarsophalangeal joint (PMA) sites. There was a negative correlation between age and elasticity on the dorsum and MLA skin sites (r=-0.216 and -0.261, respectively). Female skin exhibited greater plasticity than male skin on all three sites on the foot (P<0.05).
Under well-controlled conditions, the Cutometer 580 MPA has the ability to measure accurately the viscoelastic properties of pedal skin. Such non-invasive measurements may be useful for the evaluation of changes in the skin in response to therapeutic interventions and for monitoring the progression of dermatological conditions associated with the foot.
背景/目的：Cutometer 580 MPA是一种用于测量皮肤在负压作用下粘弹性特性的设备。本研究的目的是测试Cutometer 580 MPA能否对足部皮肤弹性的特定指标进行可重复的定量测量。该设备用于测量和比较足部负重和非负重皮肤部位的这些指标。
确定了压力施加与皮肤位移之间的关系。测试了测试者之间和测试者内部的重复性。这一系列实验在20名个体上进行。然后从一组87名健康人身上收集数据，以测量足部多个部位的弹性、粘弹性和可塑性。分析了年龄和性别等生理变量对弹性指标的可能影响。
证实了皮肤的胡克弹性行为。在收集位移数据期间，压力施加并非恒定不变，导致这些读数的误差在1.71%至3.73%之间。测试者内部的变异性最小（CV<7%）。与内侧纵弓（MLA）和第三跖趾关节（PMA）足底部位的皮肤相比，背部皮肤的弹性、粘弹性和可塑性指标显著更高（P<0.001）。背部和MLA皮肤部位的年龄与弹性之间存在负相关（分别为r=-0.216和-0.261）。在足部的所有三个部位，女性皮肤比男性皮肤表现出更大的可塑性（P<0.05）。
在良好控制的条件下，Cutometer 580 MPA能够准确测量足部皮肤的粘弹性特性。这种非侵入性测量对于评估皮肤对治疗干预的反应变化以及监测与足部相关的皮肤病病情进展可能是有用的。
