Overview of the Assessment of Endothelial Function in Humans

Abstract

The endothelium is recognized to play an important role in various physiological functions including vascular tone, permeability, anticoagulation, and angiogenesis. Endothelial dysfunction is increasingly recognized to contribute to pathophysiology of many disease states, and depending on the disease stimuli, mechanisms underlying the endothelial dysfunction may be markedly different. As such, numerous techniques to measure different aspects of endothelial dysfunction have been developed and refined as available technology improves. Current available reviews on quantifying endothelial dysfunction generally concentrate on a single aspect of endothelial function, although diseases may affect more than one aspect of endothelial function. Here, we aim to provide an overview on the techniques available for the assessment of the different aspects of endothelial function in humans, human tissues or cells, namely vascular tone modulation, permeability, anticoagulation and fibrinolysis, and the use of endothelial biomarkers as predictors of outcomes.

Endurance Training Depletes Antioxidant System but Does Not Affect Endothelial Functions in Women with Abdominal Obesity: A Randomized Trial with a Comparison to Endurance-Strength Training

“…However, it should be mentioned that no direct correlation between endothelial dysfunction biomarkers and changes in endothelial function assessed by FMD has been documented to date. Moreover, vascular biomarkers might not directly reflect the local tissue environment [ 55 , 56 , 57 ]. Schjerve et al [ 26 ] observed that both endurance and strength training significantly improve endothelial function measured as FMD in obese subjects after 12 weeks of intervention, but high-intensity aerobic training was more effective in the improvement of endothelial function compared with strength training and moderate-intensity groups.…”

Assessment of the impact of HIV infection and anti-retroviral treatment on the cardiometabolic health of pregnant mothers and their offspring (ARTMOMSBABES)

“…Microvasculature assessment will be done via retinal imaging using a retinal camera (Optomed, Finland) as previously reported [ 40 ]. Blood samples will be collected for the assessment of endothelial function markers [ 41 ], oxidative stress, lipid profile and insulin resistance markers [ 42 ] while urine will be collected for assessment of renal function. Mothers will have one post delivery follow-up for CVD risk assessment.…”

Methods for assessment of microcirculation

“…Към настоящия момент са описани множество неинвазивни и минимално инвазивни методики за оценка на микроциркулацията, които през годините са имали различен принос в диагностичния процес [25,26,27]. С развитието на технологиите на преден план се оказаха методики като лазер-доплер флоуметрията (и нейните модернизирани вариации), както и капиляроскопията и видеокапиляроскопията.…”

“…Up to this date, many non-invasive and minimally invasive methods for assessing microcirculation have been described, which over the years have had different contributions to the diagnostic process [25,26,27]. With the development of technology, techniques such as laser Doppler flowmetry (and its modernized variations), as well as capillaroscopy and videocapillaroscopy have come to the fore, they have found a place both in everyday practice and in numerous clinical trials.…”