title: Endothelial dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease: insights from a flow-mediated dilation study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of flow-mediated dilation (FMD) as a surrogate indicator for the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) remains largely unknown. We assessed FMD at the brachial artery in 89 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients were classified in groups 0 to 3 according to the number of diseased vessels and the SYNTAX score was calculated. The FMD decreased significantly from groups 0 to 3 (P < .001). There was a significant linear relation between SYNTAX score and FMD (corrected r (2) = .64, P < .001). In multivariate analysis, a reduced FMD was the only significant independent predictor of the presence of CAD (odds ratio [OR] 1.78, P = .032) and of CAD severity (OR 1.85, P = .005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms that FMD is reduced in patients with CAD and that such reduction in FMD is related to the extent of the disease. Therefore, FMD at the brachial artery is likely to represent a reliable indicator of CAD burden.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Agatino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manganaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ciracì
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andrè
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Olimpia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Trio
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manganaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saporito
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oreto
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy giuseppeando1975@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andò
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014664:Vasodilation
keywords: atherosclerosis; endothelial dysfunction; vascular disease