Relationship between endothelial function in the coronary and brachial arteries.
BACKGROUND
Endothelial dysfunction is the first step in the progression to atherosclerosis, but little is known regarding whether there is a correlation in endothelial function between the coronary and peripheral arteries.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated the relationship between coronary and peripheral endothelial function.


METHODS
In 41 patients (mean age 63 years; 23 men, 18 women) with angiographically normal coronary arteries, changes in brachial artery diameter in response to hyperemic flow and sublingual nitroglycerin (NTG) were measured by high-resolution ultrasonography. During coronary angiography, acetylcholine (ACh, 3 and 30 microg/min) and NTG were infused into the left coronary ostium. The diameter of the coronary artery was quantitatively measured and coronary blood flow (CBF) was calculated by quantitative angiography and Doppler flow velocity measurements. Changes in these parameters in response to each drug infusion were expressed as the percent change from the baseline values.


RESULTS
Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery was 5.0 +/- 3.5% and correlated positively not only with the change in coronary diameter (ACh at 30 microg/min, r = 0.31, p < 0.05) but also with the change in CBF (ACh at 3 microg/min, r = 0.39, p < 0.05; ACh at 30 microg/min, r = 0.46, p < 0.01). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that FMD was one of the factors associated with the changes in coronary diameter and CBF.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that brachial endothelial function is associated with coronary endothelial function in patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries, suggesting that impairment of endothelial function may occur simultaneously in both coronary and peripheral arteries.
Teragawa
Hiroki
H
Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Japan. hteraga@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
Ueda
Kentaro
K
Matsuda
Keiji
K
Kimura
Masashi
M
Higashi
Yukihito
Y
Oshima
Tetsuya
T
Yoshizumi
Masao
M
Chayama
Kazuaki
K
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage
D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000109:Acetylcholine