MEDICAL DEVICE FOR USE IN ASSESSING THE STATE OF A PERSON'S ENDOTHELIUM

• US 20130053704A1
• Filed: 02/16/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lancaster University Business Enterprises Limited
• Original Assignee: Lancaster University Business Enterprises Limited
• Inventors: Bernjak, Alan, Stefanovska, Aneta
• Application Number:
  US13/582,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20130053704A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/479
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4884 inducing physiological or psychological stress, e.g. applications for stress testing

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for use in assessing the state of a person'"'"'s endothelium, comprising first and second probes for attachment to the person'"'"'s body, said first probe (1) comprising a portion for direct contact with the person'"'"'s skin (3) to apply localised thermal stress to the skin, and a device for measuring microvascular perfusion (7), and said second probe being used to provide a timing reference signal. Also disclosed is a method of use.

Claims

1. A device for use in assessing the state of a person'"'"'s endothelium, comprising first and second probes for attachment to the person'"'"'s body, said first probe comprising a portion for direct contact with the person'"'"'s skin to apply localised thermal stress to the skin, and a device for measuring microvascular perfusion, and said second probe being used to provide a timing reference signal.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the second probe is attached to the person'"'"'s body, remote from the first probe.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the second probe is one of one or more ECG electrodes and a blood pulse measurement device.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the device for measuring microvascular perfusion is a Laser Doppler Flowmetry (LDF) device.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the LDF device is located substantially centrally within the portion for direct contact with the skin.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the portion for direct contact with the skin comprises a substantially planar metallic plate.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the metallic plate is provided with one or more cooling fins.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the portion for direct contact with the skin is arranged to vary in temperature substantially in the range 20-45°

C.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising signal processing apparatus arranged to condition and digitise signals received from the first and second probes.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising apparatus arranged to calculate at least one metric on the basis of signals measured from the first and second probes.

11. A method of assessing the state of a person'"'"'s endothelium, comprising the use of a device as claimed in 1, comprising the steps of:

attaching the first probe to the person;

attaching the second probe to the person, at a location remote from the first probe;

taking basal readings from the first and second probes;

reducing the temperature applied to the person'"'"'s skin, and taking further readings from the first and second probes; and

increasing the temperature and taking readings from the first and second probes at a plurality of different temperatures.