title: Microvascular glycocalyx dimension estimated by automated SDF imaging is not related to cardiovascular disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The EG regulates vascular homeostasis and has anti-atherogenic properties. SDF imaging allows for noninvasive visualization of microvessels and automated estimation of EG dimensions. We aimed to assess whether microcirculatory EG dimension is related to cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sublingual EG dimension was estimated by SDF imaging in healthy volunteers and in patients visiting an outpatient clinic for vascular medicine of a university hospital in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. EG dimension was compared among healthy volunteers, patients with CVD, and patients at low (<10%) or high risk (≥ 10%) of CVD according to the Framingham algorithm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total 120 patients and 30 healthy volunteers were included. Patients had a mean age of 59 ± 14 years, 71 (59%) were men and 24 (20%) were black. Healthy volunteers were on average 28 ± 4 years and 19 (63%) were men. EG dimension was similar in healthy volunteers (2.04 ± 0.23 μm), low-risk patients (2.05 ± 0.24 μm, n = 39), high-risk patients (2.05 ± 0.23 μm, n = 30) and in patients with CVD (2.09 ± 0.21 μm, n = 51, p = 0.79). EG dimension was not correlated with cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microcirculatory EG dimension, as estimated by automated SDF imaging, is not associated with CVD, suggesting that this technique may not contribute to cardiovascular risk stratification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Fouad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amraoui
authors.forename: Rik H G
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Olde Engberink
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Gorp
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramdani
authors.forename: Liffert
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.forename: Bert-Jan H
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: van den Born
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D019276:Glycocalyx / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D018715:Microscopy, Video; D008875:Middle Aged; D009060:Mouth Floor / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
keywords: cardiovascular disease; glycocalyx; imaging; microcirculation; noninvasive