Assessments of skin and tongue microcirculation reveals major changes in porcine sepsis

Summary Aim: To examine the relation between central hemodynamics, clinical severity and microvascular findings in tongue and skin during sepsis. Materials and methods: Skin and tongue microcirculation was examined using laser Doppler and video microscopy techniques before and 200 min after inducing sepsis in pigs (n = 6) by inactivated Neisseria meningitides and in two control animals. Results: All infected pigs developed clinical signs of sepsis. Pericapillary bleedings developed in the tongue in the two pigs with the most severe disease. Capillary density increased in the groin skin in infected pigs after 200 min as compared to baseline (P