EFFECT OF EXPOSURE TO HEAT AND INTAKE OF ETHANOL ON THE SKIN CIRCULATION AND TEMPERATURE IN ISCHEMIC LIMBS

The question of whether alcohol intake increases skin circulation is c ontroversial. The study described here was undertaken to examine the e ffect on skin circulation and skin temperature in ischaemic limbs of e xposure to external heat, and of alcohol intake together with such exp osure. Fourteen patients with occlusive arterial disease, mean age of 65 years (range 47-80), underwent measurements of blood flow by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and of skin temperature 1-2 days before and 8- 10 days after vascular reconstruction. LDF and skin temperature were m easured in the plantar region of the mid-forefoot with the subject sup ine. After 30 min of exposure to external heat, the measurements were repeated. Each subject then drank 15 mi of 50% alcohol and after a fur ther 30 min of heat exposure the same measurements were performed agai n. Similarly, fourteen healthy subjects, mean age 33 years (range 21-4 3), were studied. In the patients there was no increase in skin blood flow or skin temperature after heat exposure alone or after combined h eat exposure and alcohol intake, either before or after vascular recon struction. In the healthy subjects LDF showed a 126% increase (P < 0.0 1) in skin blood flow after 30 min of exposure to external heat and a further increase by 81% after alcohol intake and an additional 30 min of heat exposure (P < 0.01). The corresponding increases in skin tempe rature were 3.0 degrees C (P < 0.05) and 2.9 degrees C (P < 0.05). Thu s, external heat and alcohol intake increased plantar skin blood flow and skin temperature in healthy subjects but not in patients with isch aemic limbs. The reason for this difference is unclear, but it is poss ible that the skin vessels in the patients were fully dilated even bef ore heat exposure or alcohol intake.