Laser Doppler blood flow studies during open muscle biopsy in patients with neuromuscular diseases.

Laser Doppler measurements of skeletal muscle blood flow were performed in 12 patients with neuromuscular disorders and 6 controls. The mean resting blood flows and postocclusive reactive hyperemias were similar for the patients with neuropathic disorders and for controls. The patients with myopathic disorders had higher resting muscle blood flows and reactive hyperemias. Correlation of blood flow results and muscle biopsy characteristics suggested that muscle type grouping was not associated with a change in skeletal muscle blood flow, whereas muscle fiber degeneration was associated with an increased blood flow.