[Ultrasound assessment of endothelial function in Chilean children and adults].
BACKGROUND
Endothelial dysfunction is an important pathogenetic mechanism in the development of atherosclerosis.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate endothelial function in Chilean children and adult subjects and to provide normal values of flow mediated dilatation (FMD) in the Chilean population.


METHODS
Flow mediated dilation of the brachial artery was measured by high resolution ultrasonography in healthy children (n=32) and adults (n=69) of both gender, in a group of 8 healthy women during 4 periods of pregnancy and late postpartum, and in 22 men and women with a history of stroke or coronary heart disease.


RESULTS
FMD in boys and girls was 9.9 +/- 3.6 and 10.0 +/- 4.2% respectively (NS). The figures for young women and young men were 11.3 +/- 3.8 and 8.6 +/- 3.9, respectively (p=0.02); for postmenopausal women and older men, 5.5 +/- 6.6 and 7.6 +/- 6.7 respectively (NS). During normal pregnancy and postpartum there were no significant changes in FMD. Patients with cardiovascular disease had a FMD of 0.3 +/- 5.2%, (p <0.001, with other groups).


CONCLUSIONS
The present study provides values of FMD in healthy Chilean subjects of different ages, and in patients with coronary heart disease.
Germain
Alfredo M
AM
Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. agermain@med.puc.cl
Irribarra
Verónica
V
Valdés
Gloria
G
Romanik
Mary Carmen
MC
Leighton
Federico
F
Mardones
Francisco
F
Cuevas
Ada
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D012737:Sex Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014664:Vasodilation
Evaluación ultrasonográfica de la función endotelial en niños y adultos chilenos.