title: Evaluation of gender differences in endothelium-independent dilation using peripheral arterial tonometry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A change in peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) in response to reactive hyperaemia is often used to provide a non-invasive measure of endothelium-dependent dilation (EDD). Reactive hyperaemia does not allow one to quantify endothelium-independent dilation (EID), which is part of overall vascular function. Although most research examining vascular function and cardiovascular disease has focused on EDD, there is evidence that cardiovascular risk factors may impair EID.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the microvascular vasodilation response to nitroglycerin (NTG) in healthy adults using PAT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microvascular responses to reactive hyperaemia and NTG were evaluated in 86 (41 female and 45 male) healthy subjects (age 37 ± 5 years). Beat-to-beat plethysmographic measurements of finger arterial pulse waves were recorded for 5 min following reactive hyperaemia. After a 10-min rest period, sublingual NTG (0.4 mg) was administered and PAT signal changes were measured for 10 min. Peak reactive hyperaemic index (RHI) and peak NTG-mediated index (NMI) were determined in all subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant gender differences in peak RHI (females: 2.07 ± 0.56 versus males: 1.91 ± 0.58, P = 0.20). Mean peak NMI for all subjects was 2.78 (± 1.49). Peak NMI was significantly greater in females than in males (3.11 ± 1.59 versus 2.50 ± 1.34, P = 0.05). Time to peak NMI was not significantly different between genders (7 min, 28 s [± 1 min, 47 s], versus 7 min, 14 s [± 1 min, 49 s], P = 0.58).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this population of healthy adults, peak NMI was significantly greater in females than in males. These findings suggest that gender differences exist in the microvascular vasodilation responses to NTG using PAT.
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. mccu0153@umn.edu
authors.forename: Meghan C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: McCue
authors.forename: Kara L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Marlatt
authors.forename: Aaron S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steinberger
authors.forename: Donald R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Dengel
mesh_terms: D000286:Administration, Sublingual; D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects; D008910:Minnesota; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010991:Plethysmography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005996:Nitroglycerin