The diagnostic value of endothelial function as a potential sensor of fatigue in health.
OBJECTIVE
Many epidemiological research studies have shown that vital exhaustion and psychosocial factors are associated with the occurrence of cerebrocardiovascular disease (CCVD). Fatigue is thought to induce endothelial dysfunction and may be linked to the occurrence of CCVD; however, no studies have investigated this potential link. We studied to determine the effect of fatigue on endothelial function in healthy subjects with no traditional CCVD risk factors or potential confounding factors to be controlled.


METHODS
Peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) was used to evaluate endothelial function. The influence of the following parameters on endothelial function was analyzed in 74 office workers without traditional CCVD risk factors at health check-ups: endothelial function before and after work, subjective fatigue, lifestyle factors such as sleeping time, and psychosocial factors such as depression and social support.


RESULTS
Twenty-five subjects (33.8%) had low endothelial function; reactive hyperemia (RH)-PAT index <1.67, even though no abnormalities were reported in the health check-ups. There was no significant difference in endothelial function before versus after labor. Of note, endothelial function was associated with the individual's level of subjective fatigue (t = 2.98, P = 0.008) and showed a daily fluctuation, sometimes to a pathological degree (<1.67).


CONCLUSIONS
We showed that, even in healthy people, endothelial function fluctuates diurnally, with an interaction between the individual's cognitive fatigue and the environment, sometimes to a pathological degree. Based on these findings, we suggest that endothelial function is an objective assessment tool of fatigue in healthy individuals.
Ohno
Yoshiko
Y
Department of Laboratory and Vascular Medicine, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.
Hashiguchi
Teruto
T
Maenosono
Ryuichi
R
Yamashita
Hidetoshi
H
Taira
Yukio
Y
Minowa
Kazufumi
K
Yamashita
Yoshihito
Y
Kato
Yuko
Y
Kawahara
Ko-Ichi
K
Maruyama
Ikuro
I
D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult
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