The objective of this study was 1) to examine pooled effects of hypertension on nitric oxide (NO)-dependent vasodilation during local heating across multiple nonglabrous skin regions, and 2) explore regional differences. Responses were compared between 14 participants with uncomplicated hypertension controlled with medication (7 females, 61 ± 6 yr) and 14 age-matched nonhypertensive controls (6 females; 60 ± 5 yr). Cutaneous vascular conductance, normalized to maximum vasodilation (%CVCmax), was assessed at the upper chest, abdomen, dorsal forearm, thigh, and lateral calf during local heating. Across all regions, local skin temperatures were simultaneously increased from 33°C to 42°C (1°C·10 s-1) and held until a stable heating plateau was achieved (∼40 min), followed by continuous infusion of 20 mM of NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME; ∼40 min) at all sites until a stable l-NAME plateau was achieved. The difference between heating and l-NAME plateaus was defined as the NO-contribution. Statistical equivalence for each heating phase was determined based on equivalence bounds of ±10%CVCmax for between-group differences. Pooled (all-regions) %CVCmax responses were equivalent for baseline (two one-sided t tests; P < 0.001), heating plateau (P = 0.002), l-NAME plateau (P = 0.028), and NO-contribution (P = 0.003). For individual regions, responses were equivalent at baseline for the abdomen, thigh, and calf, the heating plateau for the thigh, and the l-NAME plateau for the calf (all P < 0.05). Conversely, the calf heating plateau was lower in the hypertension group (t test; P < 0.05). Local heat-induced cutaneous vasodilation was statistically equivalent between individuals with uncomplicated, controlled hypertension, and nonhypertensive age-matched adults when pooled across multiple skin sites. Conversely, individual between-region comparisons were generally too variable to permit definitive conclusions.
Keywords: heat loss; local thermal hyperemia; microdialysis; skin blood flow; thermoregulation.