Study of blood vessels reaction to local heating by imaging photoplethysmography

The possibility of using a new contactless method of imaging photoplethysmography to assess thermoregulatory vasodilatation of blood vessels was studied. Perfusion reaction in a region of the outer forearm in response to local heating up to 41 ± 1 °C was monitored in six volunteers aged 39–52 years using a video recording of the study area, synchronized with an electrocardiogram, and subsequent correlation processing of the data obtained. It was shown that the change in perfusion during local heating has a biphasic type and is due to the response of the nervous system mediated by the axon reflex in the first phase of vasodilation and the synthesis of nitric oxide in endothelial cells in the second phase of vasodilation. It was revealed that the multiple increase in perfusion in the first phase of heating depends both on the initial temperature of the skin and on the difference in its heating temperature. It was found that for a significant development of a vascular response to hyperthermia associated with the activation of endothelial function, heating of tissues for more than 15 minutes is necessary. It was shown that the method of imaging photoplethysmography reliably reflects the work of the mechanisms of regulation of peripheral vascular resistance which is of great prognostic value for the detection of primary signs of cardiovascular diseases.