Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas St.1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia.
Biophotonics Laboratory, Institute of Atomic Physics and Spectroscopy, University of Latvia, Jelgavas St. 3, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia.
Sensors (Basel). 2021 Feb 11;21(4):1272. doi: 10.3390/s21041272.
About 2% of the world's population suffers from small nerve fiber dysfunction, neuropathy, which can result in severe pain. This condition is caused by damage to the small nerve fibers and its assessment is challenging, due to the lack of simple and objective diagnostic techniques. The present study aimed to develop a contactless photoplethysmography system using simple instrumentation, for objective and non-invasive assessment of small cutaneous sensory nerve fiber function. The approach is based on the use of contactless photoplethysmography for the characterization of skin flowmotions and topical heating evoked vasomotor responses. The feasibility of the technique was evaluated on volunteers (n = 14) using skin topical anesthesia, which is able to produce temporary alterations of cutaneous nerve fibers function. In the treated skin region in comparison to intact skin: neurogenic and endothelial component of flowmotions decreased by ~61% and 41%, the local heating evoked flare area decreased by ~44%, vasomotor response trend peak and nadir were substantially reduced. The results indicate for the potential of the remote photoplethysmography in the assessment of the cutaneous nerve fiber function. It is believed that in the future this technique could be used in the clinics as an affordable alternative to laser Doppler imaging technique.
全球约有 2%的人口患有小纤维神经功能障碍性神经病变，可能会导致严重疼痛。这种情况是由小神经纤维损伤引起的，由于缺乏简单而客观的诊断技术，其评估具有挑战性。本研究旨在开发一种使用简单仪器的非接触式光体积描记系统，用于客观、非侵入性地评估小皮肤感觉神经纤维功能。该方法基于使用非接触式光体积描记术来描述皮肤血流运动和局部加热诱发的血管运动反应。该技术的可行性通过对志愿者（n=14）进行皮肤局部麻醉来评估，局部麻醉能够暂时改变皮肤神经纤维的功能。与完整皮肤相比，在处理过的皮肤区域：血流运动的神经和内皮成分分别减少了约 61%和 41%，局部加热诱发的红斑面积减少了约 44%，血管运动反应的趋势峰值和谷值明显降低。结果表明，远程光体积描记术在评估皮肤神经纤维功能方面具有潜力。人们相信，在未来，这项技术可以在临床上作为一种经济实惠的替代激光多普勒成像技术。
