THE EFFECT OF TRANSDERMAL NICOTINE ON DIGITAL PERFUSION IN REFORMED HABITUAL SMOKERS

The effects of transdermal nicotine-assisted smoking cessation on digi tal perfusion and health-related quality of life were assessed in 10 c hronic smokers. Components of digital blood flow were evaluated by dig ital temperature and laser Doppler fluxmetry before, during, and after a standardized cold challenge. Nutritional flow was measured by vital capillaroscopy; a quantitative perfusion profile was obtained by lase r Doppler pe;fusion imaging. A battery of validated measures were used to evaluate health-related quality of life. The microvascular respons e of smokers was evaluated before smoking cessation and at 2 and 7 day s after smoking cessation and was compared with the response of nonsmo king controls. Results demonstrated that a (1) cutaneous microvascular perfusion was lower in smokers than nonsmokers, (2) the acute adminis tration of transdermal nicotine did not decrease cutaneous perfusion, (3) smoking cessation and transdermal nicotine normalized digital micr ovascular perfusion by 7 days, and (4) transdermal nicotine and smokin g cessation did not negatively impact health-related quality of life. Copyright (C) 1998 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.