Assessment of vascular endothelial function with peripheral arterial tonometry: information at your fingertips?
Endothelial dysfunction is an important component in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The ability to assess the endothelium in a meaningful manner has been the subject of intense investigation over decades. Since the function of endothelial cells is a gauge of vascular health, assessment of vascular function is emerging as a useful tool for predicting cardiovascular risk and as a surrogate outcome measure for cardiovascular reduction intervention studies. This review highlights techniques for assessing endothelial function, focusing on a novel method of determining peripheral vascular reactivity via arterial tonometry.
Patvardhan
Eshan A
EA
Vascular Function Study Group, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Heffernan
Kevin S
KS
Ruan
Jenny M
JM
Soffler
Morgan I
MI
Karas
Richard H
RH
Kuvin
Jeffrey T
JT
D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008365:Manometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D014664:Vasodilation