Effects of a single aerobic exercise on perfused boundary region and microvascular perfusion: a field study

Abstract

The endothelium and the glycocalyx play a pivotal role in regulating microvascular function and perfusion in health and critical illness. It is unknown today, whether aerobic exercise immediately affects dimensions of the endothelial surface layer (ESL) in relation to microvascular perfusion as a physiologic adaption to increased nutritional demands. This monocentric observational study was designed to determine real-time ESL and perfusion measurements of the sublingual microcirculation using sidestream dark field imaging performed in 14 healthy subjects before and after completing a 10 km trial running distance. A novel image acquisition and analysis software automatically analysed the perfused boundary region (PBR), an inverse parameter for red blood cell (RBC) penetration of the ESL, in vessels between 5 and 25 µm diameter. Microvascular perfusion was assessed by calculating RBC filling percentage. There was no significant immediate effect of exercise on PBR and RBC filling percentage. Linear regression analysis revealed a distinct association between change of PBR and change of RBC filling percentage (regression coefficient β: − 0.026; 95% confidence interval − 0.043 to − 0.009; p = 0.006). A single aerobic exercise did not induce a change of PBR or RBC filling percentage. The endothelium of the microvasculature facilitates efficient perfusion in vessels reacting with an increased endothelial surface layer.

Endothelial Glycocalyx Integrity in Treatment-Naïve People Living with HIV before and One Year after Antiretroviral Treatment Initiation

“…Previous studies conducted in our center, have shown that PBR 5–25 values in healthy adult controls (slightly older than our participants) ranges between 1.77 and 1.78 μm [ 29 , 30 ]. Similarly, a small observational study of healthy young adults measuring PBR 5–25 before and after exercise, reported a baseline PBR 5–25 of 1.86 μm [ 31 ]. Compared to the results of PBR 5–25 at 48 ± 4 weeks (1.93 μm) in our cohort, these values show that EG integrity is not completely restored among PLWH after one year of cART.…”

Shedding of the Endothelial Glycocalyx Independent of Systemic Tryptase Release during Oncologic Oral Surgery: An Observational Study

“…We assessed glycocalyx-shedding by laboratory testing of shedding products (heparan sulphate and syndecan-1) into the circulation only. A complimentary method of measuring glycocalyx-shedding, visualization of the perfused boundary region in sublingual vessels by sidestream dark field microscopy could not be employed in our patients, as insertion of the camera probe would have interfered with the surgical field and might have endangered the intra-oral flap [ 25 ].…”

Microvascular perfusion, perfused boundary region and glycocalyx shedding in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: results from the GlycoScore III study

“…It has been recently employed in different clinical situations and conditions to assess the ESL [ 14–18 ]. The calculation of the PBR has previously been described in detail [ 19 , 20 ].…”