Muscle capillary blood flow kinetics estimated from pulmonary O2 uptake and near-infrared spectroscopy

The near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signal (deoxyhemoglobin concentration; HHb) reflects the dynamic balance between muscle capillary blood flow (Q(cap)) and muscle O(2) uptake (Vo(2)(m)) in the microcirculation. The purposes of the present study were to estimate the time course of Q(cap) from the kinetics of the primary component of pulmonary O(2) uptake (Vo(2)(p)) and HHb throughout exercise, and compare the Q(cap) kinetics with the Vo(2)(p) kinetics. Nine subjects performed moderate- (M; below lactate threshold) and heavy-intensity (H, above lactate threshold) constant-work-rate tests. Vo(2)(p) (l/min) was measured breath by breath, and HHb (muM) was measured by NIRS during the tests. The time course of Q(cap) was estimated from the rearrangement of the Fick equation Q(cap) = Vo(2)(m)/(a-v)O(2), where (a-v)O(2) is arteriovenous O(2) difference using Vo(2)(p) (primary component) and HHb as proxies of Vo(2)(m) and (a-v)O(2), respectively. The kinetics of HHb time constant (tau) + time delay [HHb; M = 17.8 +/- 2.3 s and H = 13.7 +/- 1.4 s] were significantly (P < 0.001) faster than the kinetics of Vo(2) tau of primary component (tau(P)); M = 25.5 +/- 8.8 s and H = 25.6 +/- 7.2 s and Q(cap) mean response time (MRT); M = 25.4 +/- 9.1 s and H = 25.7 +/- 7.7 s. However, there was no significant difference between MRT of Q(cap) and tau(P)-Vo(2) for both intensities (P = 0.99), and these parameters were significantly correlated (M and H; r = 0.99; P < 0.001). In conclusion, we have proposed a new method to noninvasively approximate Q(cap) kinetics in humans during exercise. The resulting overall Q(cap) kinetics appeared to be tightly coupled to the temporal profile of Vo(2)(m).