title: Relationship between noninvasively measured endothelial function and peripheral arterial disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between endothelial function by means of brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (BAFMD) and the clinical severity of peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We examined the brachial artery diameter by ultrasound, before and after ischemia of the arm in 3 groups of participants- group A: healthy individuals under 30 years, without cardiovascular risk factors (n = 30); group B: patients with PAD and ischemic claudication (n = 30); and group C: patients with critical leg ischemia (n = 20). There were no differences between groups B and C, in regard to age, sex, and main cardiovascular risk factor. The BAFMD was 9.9% in group A compared with 5.5% in the pooled patients group (B + C; P < .001). Significant differences were absent between groups B and C (P > .05). Correlation coefficient of ankle-brachial index/BAFMD was r = .1; P = .49.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with PAD present endothelial dysfunction, but this does not seem to determine the severity of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Angiology and Vascular Surgery, Getafe University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco José Medina
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.forename: Joaquín de Haro
authors.initials: Jde H
authors.lastname: Miralles
authors.forename: Esther Martínez
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: Aurora Florez
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Jose Ramón March
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Francisco Acín
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: García
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*