New Opportunities for Non-Invasive Assessment of Blood Microcirculation Parameters in Patients with Cardiac Pathology

Yury Gurfinkel
M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russian Federation

Simon Matskeplishvili
M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russian Federation

Petr Ermolinskiy (Login required)
M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russian Federation

Larisa Dyachuk
M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russian Federation

Andrei Lugovtsov
M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russian Federation

Andrei Yamaev
M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russian Federation

Alexander Priezzhev
M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russian Federation




DOI: 10.18287/JBPE26.12.020310

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension (AH), coronary artery disease (CHD), and atrial fibrillation (AF) require precise diagnostic methods to assess the condition of the microvascular bed, which plays an important role in the etiology and progression of these socially significant diseases. In this article, we discuss new possibilities for assessing microcirculation parameters in healthy individuals and patients suffering from hypertension, CHD or AF using non-invasive digital optical capillaroscopy. Thanks to the new image processing program based on the principles of machine learning, it became possible not only to monitor the movement of blood in microvessels, but also to quantitatively assess the range of parameters important for the clinician and, above all, the speed of capillary blood flow, the number and size of erythrocyte aggregates. The results of our study showed a significant decrease in capillary blood flow velocity and an increase in erythrocyte aggregation in patients with hypertension, coronary artery disease, and AF compared to healthy people. These results suggest that the technique could potentially be used in future, dedicated studies to evaluate the effects of antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies widely used in modern cardiology, assess optimal dosage, and identify early signs of increased bleeding in pericapillary tissues.

Keywords

microcirculation; erythrocyte aggregation; digital capillaroscopy; arterial hypertension; coronary heart disease; atrial fibrillation; capillary blood flow velocity

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