Using multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis to assess sacral skin blood flow oscillations in people with spinal cord injury

Fuyuan Liao, Yih Kuen Jan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MDFA) of skin blood flow oscillations (BFO) differedbetween nondisabled controls and people with spinal cord injury (SCI). The study of skin BFO has shown promise for assessing blood flow control mechanisms and risk for pressure ulcers. We recruited 23 subjects, including 11 people with SCI and 12 nondisabled controls. Thermally induced maximal sacral skin BFO were measured by laser Doppler flowmetry. MDFA was used to characterize nonlinear complexity of metabolic (0.0095 to 0.02 Hz), neurogenic (0.02 to 0.05 Hz), and myogenic (0.05 to 0.15 Hz) BFO. We found that maximal vasodilation was significantly smaller in people with SCI than in nondisabled controls (p < 0.05). MDFA showed that metabolic BFO exhibited less complexity in people with SCI (p < 0.05), neurogenic BFO exhibited less complexity in people with complete SCI (p < 0.05), and myogenic BFO did not show significant differences between people with SCI and nondisabled controls. This study demonstrated the feasibility of using the MDFA to characterize nonlinear complexity of BFO, which is related to vasodilatory functions in people with SCI.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)787-799
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Rehabilitation Research and Development
Volume48
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - 2011
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Blood flow oscillations
  • Detrended fluctuation analysis
  • Laser doppler
  • Microvascular function
  • Multifractal analysis
  • Nonlinear analysis
  • Pressure ulcers
  • Spectral analysis
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Vasodilatory function

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Rehabilitation

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