Multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis of skin rubor with two-electrode technique

Uchiyama, Tomoka; Ishigame, Shoko; Niitsuma, Junko; Aikawa, Yoshihiro; Ohta, Yuji

doi:10.1016/j.jtv.2008.01.002

« Previous Next »Journal of Tissue Viability
Volume 17, Issue 4 , Pages 110-114, November 2008

Multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis of skin rubor with two-electrode technique

Tomoka Uchiyama
- Department of Human Environmental Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka Bunkyou-ku, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan
- TANITA Body Weight Institute, Japan
- Corresponding author. Department of Human Environmental Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka Bunkyou-ku, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan. Tel.: +81 3 5978 5739; fax: +81 3 5978 5899.
Shoko Ishigame
- Department of Human Environmental Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka Bunkyou-ku, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan
Junko Niitsuma
- National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, Japan
Yoshihiro Aikawa
- Department of Human Environmental Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka Bunkyou-ku, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan
Yuji Ohta
- Department of Human Environmental Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka Bunkyou-ku, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan

published online 31 March 2008.

Abstract

Background

Skin rubor, or reddish discoloration on skin, is a sign of irritation. Physiologically it involves temporary vasodilation and hyperaemia in tissue, and is diagnosed by the visible characteristics.

Purpose

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was tested to estimate skin rubor.

Methods

Five healthy women (22–25 years) participated in the experiments. Four were ethanol patch test (EPT)-positive; one was negative. A skin rubor was developed on the subjects' left forearm by temporary vasodilatation, which was caused by a dermal inflammation reaction due to application of ethanol to the skin. BIA was then conducted for the skin rubor and the intact skin using a lock-in amplifier with a frequency range of 0.1Hz–10kHz. The impedance changes due to vasodilatation of capillary were evaluated.

Results

The resistance of the skin rubor was found to decrease to almost 90% of the resistance and 87% of the reactance of the intact skin in the EPT-positive subjects. There was no impedance change in the EPT-negative subject. Through these experiments, skin rubor could be distinguished from intact skin based on the electrical impedance.

Conclusion

Skin rubor could be identified based on the bioelectrical impedance. This method would be used for various skin diagnoses due to simplicity and reliability of BIA.

Keywords: Bioelectrical impedance analysis, Frequency property, Skin rubor, Quantitative assessment