title: Assessment of vascular endothelial function with peripheral arterial tonometry: information at your fingertips?
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Function Study Group, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: Eshan A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Patvardhan
authors.forename: Kevin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Heffernan
authors.forename: Jenny M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Morgan I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Soffler
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Karas
authors.forename: Jeffrey T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Kuvin
mesh_terms: 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