Table 5. Intra-subject reproducibility at a 7-day interval of ACh vasodilation with multiple current stimulations measured either using LSCI or LDF.
| Multiple current stimulations (Protocol 2) | ||||||
| LDF | LSCI | |||||
| TEE | Intra-CV (%) | ICC | TEE | Intra-CV (%) | ICC | |
| Baseline(absolute) | 4.62 [3.38–7.29] | 77.1 [52.0–146.3] | 0.13 [−0.39–0.59] | 2.93 [2.15–4.62] | 9.9 [7.1–16.0] | 0.69 [0.29–0.88] |
| Peak 1 ACh(absolute) | 33.16 [24.28–52.29] | 147.4 [94.1–317.2] | −0.09 [–0.56–0.43] | 11.86 [8.68–18.71] | 24.4 [17.3–41.1] | 0.04 [−0.46–0.53] |
| Peak 1 ACh(CVC) | 0.38 [0.28–0.60] | 148.5 [94.7–320.3] | −0.09 [–0.56–0.42] | 0.16 [0.12–0.26] | 28.2 [20.0–48.0] | 0.10 [–0.42–0.57] |
| Peak 1 ACh(multiple CVC) | 1.92 [1.40–3.02] | 70.7 [47.9–132.4] | 0.48 [−0.02–0.79] | 0.40 [0.29–0.63] | 27.1 [19.2–46.0] | 0.26 [–0.27–0.67] |
| Peak 1 ACh(increase CVC) | 1.92 [1.40–3.02] | 323.2 [187.6–873.7] | 0.48 [−0.02–0.79] | 0.40 [0.29–0.63] | 162.8 [102.9–359.1] | 0.26 [–0.27–0.67] |
| Peak 1 ACh(increase absolute) | 29.66 [21.72–46.78] | 315 [180.6–890.2] | −0.01 [–0.51–0.49] | 10.33 [7.56–16.29] | 64.7 [43.6–123.3] | 0.22 [−0.31–0.65] |
| Peak 2 ACh(absolute) | 35.84 [26.24–56.52] | 114.6 [74.9–233.4] | 0.31 [–0.22–0.70] | 11.03 [8.07–17.39] | 20.6 [14.7–34.3] | 0.18 [–0.35–0.62] |
| Peak 2 ACh(CVC) | 0.44 [0.32–0.70] | 115.6 [75.5–236.0] | 0.25 [−0.29–0.66] | 0.14 [0.11–0.23] | 24.9 [17.6–41.9] | 0.41 [−0.11–0.75] |
| Peak 2 ACh(multiple CVC) | 2.27 [1.66–3.59] | 50.1 [34.6–89.7] | 0.81 [0.53–0.93] | 0.41 [0.30–0.64] | 24.0 [17.1–40.4] | 0.50 [0.01–0.80] |
| Peak 2 ACh(increase CVC) | 2.27 [1.66–3.59] | 211.1 [129.5–498.8] | 0.81 [0.53–0.93] | 0.41 [0.30–0.64] | 85.4[57.2–164.9] | 0.50 [0.01–0.80] |
| Peak 2 ACh(increase absolute) | 32.19 [23.56–50.76] | 299.4 [172.9–830.9] | 0.38 [−0.14–0.74] | 9.69 [7.10–15.29] | 46.4 [31.8–84.8] | 0.42 [−0.10–0.76] |
| Peak 3 ACh(absolute) | 37.30 [27.31–58.83] | 103.8 [68.4–207.4] | 0.51 [0.01–0.80] | 7.45 [5.46–11.75] | 11.4 [8.2–18.5] | 0.61 [0.16–0.85] |
| Peak 3 ACh(CVC) | 0.48 [0.35–0.76] | 109.3 [71.7–220.6] | 0.38 [–0.15–0.74] | 0.11 [0.08–0.17] | 15.4 [11.1–25.3] | 0.62 [0.17–0.85] |
| Peak 3 ACh(multiple CVC) | 3.65 [2.67–5.76] | 53.5 [36.8–96.5] | 0.72 [0.34–0.89] | 0.38 [0.28–0.60] | 21.3 [15.2–35.6] | 0.56 [0.08–0.83] |
| Peak 3 ACh(increase CVC) | 3.65 [2.67–5.76] | 120.8 [78.6–248.7] | 0.72 [0.34–0.89] | 0.38 [0.28–0.60] | 98.2 [65.0–194.1] | 0.56 [0.08–0.83] |
| Peak 3 ACh(increase absolute) | 33.66 [24.64–53.08] | 179.6 [110.7–424.2] | 0.56 [0.09–0.83] | 6.40 [4.69–10.10] | 18.6 [13.2–31.7] | 0.76 [0.43–0.91] |
| Peak 4 ACh(absolute) | 35.52 [26.01–56.02] | 107.9 [70.9–217.2] | 0.58 [0.11–0.83] | 8.69 [6.36–13.70] | 12.9 [9.3–21.1] | 0.56 [0.09–0.83] |
| Peak 4 ACh(CVC) | 0.46 [0.34–0.73] | 119.6 [77.9–245.7] | 0.43 [−0.09–0.76] | 0.16 [0.12–0.25] | 21.5 [15.3–35.9] | 0.42 [−0.10–0.76] |
| Peak 4 ACh(multiple CVC) | 4.84 [3.54–7.63] | 63.3 [43.2–116.7] | 0.62 [0.18–0.85] | 0.40 [0.29–0.63] | 20.5 [14.6–34.2] | 0.59 [0.13–0.84] |
| Peak 4 ACh(increase CVC) | 4.84 [3.54–7.63] | 136.2 [87.6–287.9] | 0.62 [0.18–0.85] | 0.40 [0.29–0.63] | 54.1 [37.3–97.8] | 0.59 [0.13–0.84] |
| Peak 4 ACh(increase absolute) | 31.70 [23.21–50.00] | 174.3 [107.8–408.2] | 0.64 [0.20–0.86] | 7.41 [5.43–11.69] | 23.0 [16.2–39.6] | 0.74 [0.38–0.90] |
The parameters of the maximal ACh vasodilation measurement obtained after current application are presented in Table 1. Time to peak corresponds to the time after the end of the current stimulation until the maximal acetylcholine vasodilation is reached. Typical error of the estimate (TEE) of the cutaneous blood flow expressed in au or LSPU when (absolute) is mentioned and in au/mmHg or LSPU/mmHg when CVC is mentioned. Intra-CV means intra-subject coefficient of variation. ICC means intra-class correlation. Results are mean with 95% confidence interval [95%]. The lower the intra-CV, the better the reproducibility. ICC values of >0.75, 0.75 to 0.60, 0.59 to 0.40, and <0.40 represent excellent, good, fair and poor agreements respectively.