Effect of compression stockings on cutaneous microcirculation: Evaluation based on measurements of the skin thermal conductivity

Objective To study of the microcirculatory effects of elastic compression stockings. Materials and methods In phlebology, laser Doppler techniques (flux or imaging) are widely used to investigate cutaneous microcirculation. It is a method used to explore microcirculation by detecting blood flow in skin capillaries. Flux and imaging instruments evaluate, non-invasively in real-time, the perfusion of cutaneous micro vessels. Such tools, well known by the vascular community, are not really suitable to our protocol which requires evaluation through the elastic compression stockings fabric. Therefore, we involve another instrument, called the Hematron (developed by Insa-Lyon, Biomedical Sensor Group, Nanotechnologies Institute of Lyon), to investigate the relationship between skin microcirculatory activities and external compression provided by elastic compression stockings. The Hematron measurement principle is based on the monitoring of the skin's thermal conductivity. This clinical study examined a group of 30 female subjects, aged 42 years 2 years, who suffer from minor symptoms of chronic venous disease, classified as C0s, and C1s (CEAP). Results The resulting figures show, subsequent to the pressure exerted by elastic compression stockings, an improvement of microcirculatory activities observed in 83% of the subjects, and a decreased effect was detected in the remaining 17%. Among the total population, the global average increase of the skin's microcirculatory activities is evaluated at 7.63%+/- 1.80% (p<0.0001). Conclusion The results from this study show that the pressure effects of elastic compression stockings has a direct influence on the skin's microcirculation within this female sample group having minor chronic venous insufficiency signs. Further investigations are required for a deeper understanding of the elastic compression stockings effects on the microcirculatory activity in venous diseases at other stages of pathology.