Please see Bibliography of References for a list of abstracts, manuscripts and posters.
Ives CL, Harrison DK, Stansby G. Microcirculation. 2004;11(6):527.
We have used visible lightguide and near infrared spectrophotometry to investigate muscle (MSO2) and skin (SSO2) oxygen saturation in normal volunteers in order to define normal values prior to a clinical study into wound infection.
Age, sex, BMI and triceps thickness were recorded in 32 female and 18 male volunteers aged 39 +/-11 years (mean+/-standard deviation). There were no significant differences in these variables between the two groups. SSO2 and MSO2 were measured on the upper arm and abdomen.
Arm SSO2 showed no difference at 95% C.I. (p=0.86) between female (47.7 +/- 9.2) and male (47.2 +/-9.3), however abdomen SSO2 was significantly higher in males (37.6 +/- 7.8, 95% CI, estimated difference=5.5, p=0.02) than females (32.1 +/- 7.9), as was arm MSO2 (males 59.3 +/- 19.3, females 33.5 +/- 20.0; estimated difference= 25.7, p<0.001). Abdomen MSO2 (males 53.0 +/- 19.8, females 43.7 +/- 18.1; estimated difference =9.3, p=0.1) was not significantly different. There was a positive correlation (r) of 0.72 (p<0.001) between arm and abdomen MSO2 readings, but there was no correlation between arm and abdomen SSO2 readings. There was no correlation between MSO2 and SSO2 in either location. No readings correlated with age. MSO2 had a slight negative dependence on triceps thickness but this was only significant p<.01) in the arm. In conclusion males have higher SO2 readings in arm MSO2 and abdomen SSO2; SSO2 and MSO2 are not related to each other; MSO2 readings in the arm and abdomen are closely related.