In vivo, micro-morphological vascular changes induced by topical brimonidine studied by Dynamic optical coherence tomography

TY - JOUR

T1 - In vivo, micro-morphological vascular changes induced by topical brimonidine studied by Dynamic optical coherence tomography

AU - Themstrup, L.

AU - Ciardo, Silvana

AU - Manfredi, Maddalena

AU - Ulrich, M

AU - Pellacani, G.

AU - Welzel, Julia

AU - Jemec, G. B E

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Background: Brimonidine is a selective α2 adrenergic receptor agonist with potent vasoconstrictive activity topically used for treatment of facial flushing and erythema caused by rosacea. Direct evidence for the in vivo morphology changes in skin vessels induced by topical application of brimonidine is limited. Dynamic optical coherence tomography is a novel technology that combines conventional OCT with information on flow and thereby provides supplementary information about the microvasculature. Dynamic OCT is non-invasive and creates high-resolution in vivo images of skin to a depth of maximum 2 mm. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine and describe micro-morphological skin vessel changes in normal skin exposed to brimonidine gel using Dynamic OCT. Materials and methods: A total of 35 healthy subjects from three European clinical dermatology centres were included in the study. A normal skin area on the cheek was marked and clinically photographed. Brimonidine gel 0.33% was applied on the area and chromaticity measurements; laser speckle measurements and Dynamic OCT images were acquired at baseline and 60 min after application. The images were subsequently described in detail and quantitatively analysed. Results: All the measurement tools (chromaticity, laser speckle, Dynamic OCT showed highly significant (P < 0.001) quantitative differences in blood flow before and after the application of brimonidine. In 58% of the subjects the Dynamic OCT images showed notable changes in the morphology of the blood vessel network after application of brimonidine including a marked reduction in the abundance and the diameter of the blood vessels. Conclusion: The vascular constriction induced by topical brimonidine gel 0.33% was visualized in vivo by Dynamic OCT and confirmed by quantitative measurements and analyses. This study shows that Dynamic OCT can detect characteristic morphological changes in the vessels and may potentially aid the monitoring of treatment effects on skin vessels following topical or laser treatment.

AB - Background: Brimonidine is a selective α2 adrenergic receptor agonist with potent vasoconstrictive activity topically used for treatment of facial flushing and erythema caused by rosacea. Direct evidence for the in vivo morphology changes in skin vessels induced by topical application of brimonidine is limited. Dynamic optical coherence tomography is a novel technology that combines conventional OCT with information on flow and thereby provides supplementary information about the microvasculature. Dynamic OCT is non-invasive and creates high-resolution in vivo images of skin to a depth of maximum 2 mm. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine and describe micro-morphological skin vessel changes in normal skin exposed to brimonidine gel using Dynamic OCT. Materials and methods: A total of 35 healthy subjects from three European clinical dermatology centres were included in the study. A normal skin area on the cheek was marked and clinically photographed. Brimonidine gel 0.33% was applied on the area and chromaticity measurements; laser speckle measurements and Dynamic OCT images were acquired at baseline and 60 min after application. The images were subsequently described in detail and quantitatively analysed. Results: All the measurement tools (chromaticity, laser speckle, Dynamic OCT showed highly significant (P < 0.001) quantitative differences in blood flow before and after the application of brimonidine. In 58% of the subjects the Dynamic OCT images showed notable changes in the morphology of the blood vessel network after application of brimonidine including a marked reduction in the abundance and the diameter of the blood vessels. Conclusion: The vascular constriction induced by topical brimonidine gel 0.33% was visualized in vivo by Dynamic OCT and confirmed by quantitative measurements and analyses. This study shows that Dynamic OCT can detect characteristic morphological changes in the vessels and may potentially aid the monitoring of treatment effects on skin vessels following topical or laser treatment.

U2 - 10.1111/jdv.13596

DO - 10.1111/jdv.13596

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26916576

AN - SCOPUS:84983315195

SN - 0926-9959

VL - 30

SP - 974

EP - 979

JO - Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology

JF - Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology

IS - 6

ER -