title: Vascular endothelial function of patients with stable coronary artery disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate vascular endothelial function and contributing factors in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred twenty six CHD outpatients were randomly recruited. Reactive hyperemia index (RHI) <1.67 indicates endothelial dysfunction. Correlation between RHI and different biochemical parameters was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RHI in patients receiving statins treatment was significantly higher than patients without statins treatment (P<0.05). RHI in patients with more than 3 risk factors for CHD was also markedly lower than that in patients with ≤2 risk factors (P<0.05). Patients with lesions at several branches of coronary artery had a markedly lower RHI when compared with those with coronary lesions at a single branch (P<0.05). For patients without statins treatment, RHI increased significantly after statins treatment for 1 month (P=0.01). In patients with endothelial dysfunction, FBG, HbA1C, hs-CRP and Hcy were significantly higher than those in patients with normal endothelial function (P<0.05 for all). Smokers with CHD had a remarkably lower RHI when compared with non-smokers (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking, FBG, HbA1C, Hcy and hs-CRP are significantly associated with endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction is also related to the numbers of risk factors for CHD, degree of coronary lesions and statins. Statins treatment may significantly improve the endothelial function of CHD patients.
authors.affiliation: Zhe Wang, MD. Heart Center, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Xinchun Yang, MD. Heart Center, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Xinchun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Jun Cai, MD. Heart Center, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Hui Shi, MD. Heart Center, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Guangzhen Zhong, MD, Heart Center, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Guangzhen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Hongjie Chi, MD. Heart Center, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Hongjie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chi
keywords: Atherosclerotic coronary heart disease; Endothelial dysfunction; Reactive hyperemia index