Observations of cold-induced vasodilation in persons with spinal cord injuries

Study design

Acute experimental study.

Objectives

Cold-induced vasodilation is a local mechanism of protection against frostbite in non-injured persons. We assessed whether an increase in skin blood flow (SkBF) during local cooling (LC) was observed in individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) and if the response patterns differed between region levels or sites.

Setting

Laboratory of Wakayama Medical University and the affiliated clinics, Japan.

Methods

A local cooler device (diameter 4 cm) was placed on the chest (sensate) and right thigh (non-sensate) in persons with cervical (SCI_C; n = 9) and thoracolumbar SCIs (SCI_TL; n = 9). After the surface temperature under the device was controlled at 33 °C for 10 min (baseline), LC (−0.045 °C/s) was applied and the skin temperature was maintained at 15 and 8 °C for 15 min of each stage. SkBF (laser Doppler flowmetry) was monitored using a 1-mm needle-type probe inserted into its center.

Results

The percent change in SkBF (%ΔSkBF) on the chest remained unchanged until the end of 15 °C stage; thereafter, it increased to a level at least 70% greater than the baseline during the 8 °C stage in both groups. The %ΔSkBF on the thigh in both SCI_C and SCI_TL notably increased from 8 and 6 min respectively, during the 8°C stage, compared to 1 min before the stage; however, it did not exceed the baseline level.

Conclusions

An increase in SkBF during LC was observed both in the sensate and non-sensate areas in SCIs, although the magnitude was larger in the sensate area.