Pressure-induced skin blood flow responses measured via laser Doppler flowmetry are commonly reported in the time domain. The usefulness of spectral analysis in examining blood flow control mechanisms has been demonstrated, but traditional Fourier analysis does not provide sufficient resolution to reveal characteristic low frequencies. Timefrequency (wavelet) analysis was performed on 10 subjects' sacral skin blood flow responses to heating (45 degrees C) with improved resolution. Five frequency bands were identified (0.008-0.02 Hz, 0.02-0.05 Hz, 0.05-0.15 Hz, 0.15-0.4 Hz, and 0.4-2.0 Hz) corresponding to metabolic, neurogenic, myogenic, respiratory, or cardiac origins. Significant differences were observed in the mean normalized power of the metabolic (p < 0.01) and myogenic frequency bands (p < 0.01) between preheating and maximal heating and preheating and postheating periods. Power increased for the metabolic frequency and decreased for the myogenic frequency. Wavelet analysis successfully characterized thermoregulatory control mechanisms by revealing the contributions of the physiological rhythms embedded in the blood flow signal.Abbreviations: ANOVA = analysis of variance, BPM 2 = Blood Perfusion Monitor 2, LDF = laser Doppler flowmetry, SD = standard deviation, TSI = thermal stress index.

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Objectives To determine the efficacy of skin protection wheelchair seat cushions in preventing pressure ulcers in the elderly, nursing home population Design Clinical trial with participants assigned at random to either a skin protection or segmented foam cushion. Two hundred thirty two participants were recruited between June 2004 and May 2008 and followed for 6 months or until pressure ulcer incidence. Setting Twelve nursing homes Participants Nursing home residents’ age ≥ 65, using wheelchairs ≥6 hours/day, Braden score ≤ 18, and combined Braden activity and mobility score ≤ 5. Participants were recruited from a referred sample. Intervention All participants were provided a fitted wheelchair and randomized into skin protection (SPC) or segmented foam (SFC) cushion groups. The SPC group received an air, viscous fluid/foam, or gel/foam cushion. The SFC group received a 7.6 cm crosscut foam cushion. Measurements Pressure ulcer incidence over 6 months for wounds near the ischial tuberosities (IT ulcers) were measured. Secondary analysis was performed on combined IT and sacral/coccyx ulcers. Results One hundred eighty participants reached a study endpoint and 42 were lost to follow-up. Ten did not receive the intervention. There were 8/119 (6.7%) IT ulcers in the SFC group and 1/113 (0.9%) in the SPC group (p<0.04). In the group of combined IT and sacral/coccyx ulcers, there were 21/119 pressure ulcers (17.6%) in the SFC group and 12/113 (10.6%) in the SPC group (p=0.14). Conclusion Skin protection cushions used with fitted wheelchairs lower pressure ulcer incidence for elderly, nursing home residents and should be used to help prevent pressure ulcers.

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The study of skin blood flow responses is confounded by temporal variability in blood flow measurements. Spectral analysis has been shown useful in isolating the effects of distinct control mechanisms on various stimuli in the microcirculatory system. However, the sensitivity of spectral analysis to temporal blood blow variability has not been reported. This study was designed to assess week-to-week variability in blood flow measurements using wavelet-based spectrum analysis. Ten healthy, young subjects (mean age+/-SD, 30.0+/-3.1 years) were recruited into the study. Incremental heating (35-45 degrees C, 1 degrees step min-1) was applied on the skin over the sacrum once per week for three consecutive weeks. Wavelet analysis was used to decompose the laser Doppler blood flow signal into frequency bands determined to be associated with endothelial nitric oxide (0.008-0.02 Hz), neurogenic (0.02-0.05 Hz), myogenic (0.05-0.15 Hz), respiratory (0.15-0.4 Hz), and cardiac (0.4-2.0 Hz) control mechanisms. The results showed that coefficients of variation for the power in each frequency band at baseline are smaller than the coefficients of variation of blood flow at baseline or at maximal blood flow ratio (P<0.05). Myogenic and respiratory frequency bands showed the highest coefficients of variation among the five frequency bands. An increase in power in the endothelial nitric oxide frequency band and a decrease in power in the myogenic frequency band of the maximal blood flow response were reproduced in three consecutive weeks. Our study suggests that wavelet analysis is an effective method to overcome temporal variability in skin blood flow measurements.