Skin microvascular dilatation response to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside in peripheral arterial disease.

Unlabelled: The relative magnitude of endothelial versus non-endothelial vasodilatation in the skin of limbs of patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) is not known. We therefore investigated the effects of iontophoretically administered sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and acetylcholine (Ach) on the skin microvascular blood flow measured by laser-Doppler fluxmetry.

Methods: Blood flow changes in the skin was measured on the dorsal side of the foot in three different groups: (i).