Impaired endothelial-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilatation in patients with thromboangiitis obliterans.
BACKGROUND
Endothelial dysfunction is the key process in the development of atherosclerosis. The aim of our study was to evaluate endothelial dysfunction measured by the noninvasive technique of Celermajer that plays a role in the pathogenesis of thrombangitis obliterans.


METHODS
A total of 36 patients with thrombangitiis obliterans ([TAO]; mean age 44.9 ± 1.3 years) were compared with 30 healthy individuals (mean age 36.1 ± 1.8 years). High frequency ultrasound was used to measure changes in response to reactive hyperemia (leading to flow-mediated endothelium-dependent dilatation) and in response to 0.4 mg sublingual nitroglycerin ([NTG]; leading to NTG-induced, endothelium-independent dilatation).


RESULTS
Patients with TAO showed a lower but statistically not significant flow-mediated dilatation and a statistically significant reduced NTG-induced vasodilatation than the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that both mechanisms play a role in patients with TAO, the endothelium-independent impaired vasodilatation even in a more significant way than the impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilatation.
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Angiology, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria. marianne.brodmann@medunigraz.at
M
M
Brodmann
F
F
Hafner
T
T
Gary
G
G
Seinost
E
E
Pilger
D000328:Adult; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013919:Thromboangiitis Obliterans / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014664:Vasodilation