Endothelial function assessment in atherosclerosis. Comparison of brachial artery flow‑mediated vasodilation and peripheral arterial tonometry

Abstract

443INTROduCTION Endothelial dysfunction, characterized by the loss of nitric oxide bioavailability, is the key element in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The significance of endothelial dysfunction has been demonstrated by numerous animal model studies 1 and has been confirmed in clinical studies showing that it precedes clinical and morphological atherosclerotic changes. 2 Numerous studies have described associations between endothelial dysfunction and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.3-5 Impaired endothelial function is a feature of aging and is present in patients with high levels of low-density lipoproteins, arterial hypertension, diabetes, acute coronary syndromes, autoimmune diseases, and in smokers. [3][4][5][6] Moreover, the number of atherosclerotic risk factors has been linked to the degree of endothelial dysfunction. AbsTRACTINTROduCTION Endothelial dysfunction, characterized by the loss of nitric oxide bioavailability, is a key element in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and an important prognostic factor in cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the development of reliable, safe, and noninvasive methods of endothelial function assessment is important for their use in cardiovascular risk stratification. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is widely used in research but technical difficulties and problems with calibration between laboratories limit its clinical use. Reactive hyperemia-peripheral artery tonometry (RH-PAT, EndoPAT) has been developed as a simpler, cheaper, and potentially more reproducible method.

Correlation between the activity of the autonomic nervous system and endothelial function in patients with acute coronary syndrome

“…36 On the other hand, Kuvin et al 37 demonstrated a significant correlation between FMD and the RHI during the same episode of reactive hyperemia. 37 A correlation between FMD and the RHI was also observed by Wilk et al 38 in patients with moderate -to -low cardiovascular risk.…”

Microvascular dysfunction in ankylosing spondylitis is associated with disease activity and is improved by anti-TNF treatment

“…Each test was carried out in a temperature controlled standardized and maintained at 20–22 °C. Study participants followed the specific diet and lifestyle used for our previous flow mediated dilatation studies 43 . Testing was preceded by a 15-minute rest in standardized conditions.…”

Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Vascular Aging in Hypertension

“…However, acceleration and early occurrence of this process are observed in cardiovascular pathologies, including hypertension. 1,2 In the vascular system, this is characterized by progressive pathological remodeling with stiffening, 3 typically associated with extracellular matrix (ECM) alterations in collagen and elastin. 4 This is, in part, dependent on cellular senescence and growth arrest.…”