Diabetes and peripheral arterial occlusive disease impair the cutaneous tissue oxygenation in dorsal hand microcirculation of elderly adults: Implications for hand rejuvenation

Background In spite of potential implications for anti-aging therapy regarding the selection of the most suitable therapeutical method and potential perinterventional complications, cutaneous microcirculation of the aging hand in healthy individuals as well as in those with diabetes mellitus or peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) has never been evaluated. Hypothesis Functional microcirculation of the dorsal hand differs between healthy individuals and individuals with diabetes or PAOD at the same age. Materials and Methods Prospective controlled cohort study. One hundred ten individuals were allocated to group A (healthy individuals, n = 37), group B (diabetes mellitus, n = 36), and group C (PAOD, n = 37). Microcirculatory data were obtained using combined laser-Doppler and photospectrometry. Results Cutaneous oxygen saturation at the dorsal hand of healthy individuals was 11.1% higher than of those with diabetes mellitus (p =.04) and 18.8% higher than of those with PAOD (p =.001). Cutaneous capillary blood flow in participants with PAOD was 20% higher than in healthy individuals (p =.047). Conclusion This is the first study demonstrating that capillary microcirculation of the dorsal hand differs between healthy individuals and those with diabetes or PAOD of the same age. Further studies should explore whether ameliorating cutaneous tissue oxygen saturation could emerge as a viable antiaging strategy for elderly hands.