Space technology benefits medical...( ient blood flow near the skin's surface...),Health

ient blood flow near the skin's surface also causes patients to experience skin color changes and varying levels of discomfort. Limited blood flow to the extremities can potentially lead to permanent loss of function. Raynaud's can occur on its own, or be secondary to another condition, such as auto-immune disorders like scleroderma or lupus.

Field Trials

The device recently underwent initial testing on patients with Raynaud's being treated at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. Patients wore a monitor for one week in their homes, pressing an "event button" on the device to indicate when a Raynaud's event was occurring. The data processed by APL engineers and evaluated by JHMI physicians indicates Raynaud's events can be successfully identified. Patients said the devices are comfortable and easy to use. "The data from this preliminary study suggests that the monitor can help scientists and physicians learn more about Raynaud's phenomenon and help investigators evaluate the effectiveness of drugs being developed to treat this disease," says APL's Binh Le, one of the inventors of the device.

Based on initial data, APL researchers have enhanced the monitor's design and are gearing up for the next round of trials at JHMI later this winter.

Other Applications

In addition to monitoring Raynaud's patients, this platform technology could be used for an array of other medical or monitoring applications. The monitor could be modified to measure skin temperature of patients at risk for developing cardiovascular disease by tracking endothelial function (how small blood vessels regulate local blood flow to the tissues). Measuring skin temperature in various real-life situations may provide a noninvasive method to determine vascular responses in health and in various disease states.

With appropriate modifications, this monitoring system could also be used to track other physiological parameters, such as pulse
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Contact: Kristi Marren
kristi.marren@jhuapl.edu
240-228-6268
Johns Hopkins University
31-Jan-2007

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