Genetic contribution to brachial artery flow-mediated dilation: the Northern Manhattan Family Study.
BACKGROUND
Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a non-invasive measure of endothelial function. Endothelial dysfunction has been associated with traditional vascular risk factors and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The importance of genetic contribution to FMD and baseline brachial artery diameter has not been shown in Hispanic populations. The purpose of this study was to estimate the heritability of FMD.


METHODS
Flow mediated dilation and brachial artery diameter were measured in a subset of Caribbean Hispanic families from the ongoing Northern Manhattan Family Study (NOMAFS), which studies the contribution of genetics to stroke and cardiovascular risk factors. The age- and sex-adjusted heritability of FMD was estimated using variance component methods.


RESULTS
The current data include 620 subjects (97 probands and 523 relatives) from 97 families. The age and sex-adjusted heritability of brachial artery diameter was 0.57 (p<0.01). The age- and sex-adjusted heritability of FMD was 0.20 (p=0.01). After additional adjustment for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, smoking, lipid, diabetes mellitus, medication, and baseline brachial artery diameter, the heritability of FMD was 0.17 (p=0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
We found modest heritability of FMD. FMD might be a reasonable phenotype for further investigation of genetic contribution to atherosclerosis.
Suzuki
Keiko
K
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. sk2685@columbia.edu
Juo
Suh-Hang Hank
SH
Rundek
Tanja
T
Boden-Albala
Bernadette
B
Disla
Norbelina
N
Liu
Rui
R
Park
Naeun
N
Di Tullio
Marco R
MR
Sacco
Ralph L
RL
Homma
Shunichi
S
D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D010641:Phenotype; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000235:genetics*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000235:genetics*