Z. Stoyneva
Clinic of Occupational Diseases, University Hospital St. Ivan Rilsky, Medical University – Sofia, Bulgaria

Objective: To assess microvascular morphological and functional changes in patients with hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).

Material and Methods: Thirty HAVS patients and 30 healthy controls were included. After acclimatization, all subjects underwent nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) and infrared thermography followed by laser Doppler flowmetry measurement. NFC was performed with a microscope under 10× to 20× magnification in the eponychium of the fingers. Skin blood flow of the volar part of the fingertips was measured using laser Doppler flowmeter Periflux4001 at baseline and by lowering the arm from heart level hanging to test skin venoarteriolar microcirculatory responces.