Postprandial Insulin Release and the Impact on Muscle Perfusion

To fulfil the increasing demand for real-time evaluation of micro vascular flow in muscle tissue, new techniques have been evaluated. The conventional systemic hemodynamic and oxygenation parameters are neither specific nor sensitive enough to detect regional perfusion. A more complete evaluation of tissue oxygenation can be achieved by adding noninvasive assessment of perfusion in peripheral tissues to global parameters. Noninvasive monitoring of peripheral perfusion could be a complementary approach that allows very early application throughout the hospital and interventional research. Orthogonal polarization spectral (OPS) is a non invasive technique that uses reflected light to produce real-time images of the microcirculation. The technology has been incorporated into a small hand-held videomicroscope which can be used in both research and clinical settings. OPS can assess tissue perfusion using the functional capillary density (FCD), i.e., the length of perfused capillaries per observation area (measured as cm/cm2).

FCD is a very sensitive parameter for determining the status of nutritive perfusion to the tissue. So far, one of the most easily accessible sites in humans for peripheral perfusion monitoring is the mouth. OPS produces excellent images of the sublingual microcirculation by placing the probe under the tongue. Movement artifacts, semiquantitative measure of perfusion, the presence of various secretions such as saliva and blood, observer-related bias, and malfunction of the apparatus are some of the limitations of the technique.

In the present study we will investigate the impact of postprandial insulin release on microvascular recruitment in the oral cavity.