Relationship between brachial flow-mediated dilation and carotid intima-media thickness in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Although flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) of brachial artery and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) are important surrogate markers in the process of atherosclerosis, information about relationship between both markers is insufficient. In the present study, we assessed extensively the relationship in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: The values of brachial FMD and carotid ultrasonography findings in 159 patients (67±8 years, 130 males) with angiographically verified CAD were retrospectively analyzed.

The comparison of endothelial function between conduit artery and microvasculature in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and reactive hyperemia-peripheral arterial tonometry (RH-PAT) are both established modalities to assess vascular endothelial function. However, clinical significance of FMD and RH-PAT may be different because these methods measure vascular function in different vessels (conduit arteries and resistance vessels).

Methods: To elucidate differences in the clinical significance of FMD and RH-PAT, a simultaneous determination of FMD was performed and reactive hyperemia index (RHI) measured by RH-PAT in 131 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography for suspicion of coronary artery disease (CAD).