Determinants of coronary arterial flow-mediated dilatation following percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objective: It has previously been observed that coronary diameter may increase following relief of flow-limiting obstruction. Flow mediated dilatation (FMD) is a fundamental adaptive mechanism for arteries, which is dependent on intact endothelial function. We thus aimed to characterize whether the degree of this flow-mediated dilatation was related to risk factors, which may impair endothelial function.

Endothelial dysfunction and restenosis following percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Restenosis remains an important limitation of PCI. Although local factors such as small vessel diameter and systemic factors such as diabetes explain some of its incidence, it nevertheless also occurs in low-risk patients. We hypothesize that endothelial dysfunction may be an independent risk factor in some of these cases.

Predictors of long-term outcome following percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objectives: Diabetes has a major impact on the long-term outcome following percutaneous coronary intervention, being a major risk factor for restenosis. We aimed at assessing the clinical, hemodynamic and angiographic factors that predict outcome in this high-risk group.

Methods: Diabetic patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention during the period 1996-2000 were identified retrospectively, and their medical records, hemodynamic data and angiograms studied at the time of their procedure.

Endothelial dysfunction occurs in peripheral circulation patients with acute and stable coronary artery disease.

Atherosclerosis is a diffuse, systemic process. In addition, acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are associated with inflammatory marker elevations that are hypothesized to affect the function of nonculprit coronary as well as peripheral vessels. We investigated whether femoral vascular reactivity and/or fibrinolytic capacity are impaired in ACS patients over and above any dysfunction associated with stable coronary artery disease.