Local sympathetic reflex control of blood flow in human skin following topical corticosteroid treatment

Local positional vasomotor activity, or the veno-arteriolar reflex, was studied in normal human skin over 3 days of treatment with a potent corticosteroid under occlusion. Eight healthy subjects participated in the study. Using the atraumatic epicutaneous 133-Xe washout technique on the outer 2 mm of the skin fold between the first and the second finger, and covering the rest of the hand with a lead shield, blood flow in cutaneous tissue only was monitored. The veno-arteriolar reflex was elicited by inducing venous stasis. Before treatment, 40 mmHg venous stasis reduced cutaneous blood flow by 37.1% (95 percentile, 24.5-56.0). Following 24 h and 48 h of treatment, the reflex became weaker and at day 3, the blood flow reduction was 17.8% (7.6-42.6). The diminution was significant (p less than 0.05).