title: Validation of a new method for non-invasive assessment of vasomotor function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reactive hyperaemia induces a slowing of pulse wave velocity (PWV) in conduit arteries of healthy subjects (flow-mediated slowing (FMS)). This could be an alternative method for assessing peripheral vasomotor function to the gold standard method of flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) a more expensive and technically demanding technique. We aimed to assess the reproducibility of FMS in healthy participants and to test its ability to detect differences in vasomotor function in patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) and post-lipoprotein apheresis (LA) treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Altogether 25 healthy participants were studied on two occasions to assess reproducibility of FMS. In a case control study of 22 patients with FH and matched healthy controls, FMD and FMS were compared. An intervention study in 12 patients with FH looked at the impact of a single LA treatment on FMS assessed pre and post treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FMS demonstrated good reproducibility (coefficient of variation (CoV) 7.3%). Patients with FH had reduced FMS in comparison to matched healthy controls (FMS% FH -15.13 ± 5.04% vs controls -18.41 ± 5.15%, p = 0.023), with no difference in FMD% between the two groups. A single LA treatment significantly improved FMS (pre -18.81 ± 9.84 vs post -24.09 ± 7.61%, p = 0.016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FMS is a reproducible technique, which is able to detect differences in vasomotor function both in a condition associated with endothelial dysfunction and following an acute intervention known to improve endothelial function. This simple technique has potential for accessible assessment of vasomotor function in clinical studies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Cardiff University, UK Institute of Life Sciences, Swansea University, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ellins
authors.affiliation: Neurovascular Research Laboratory, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, UK.
authors.forename: Karl J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: New
authors.affiliation: Lipid Unit, University Hospital Llandough, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: Dev B N
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Datta
authors.affiliation: Lipid Unit, University Hospital Llandough, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Cardiff University, UK.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haralambos
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Cardiff University, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aled Rees
authors.affiliation: Institute of Life Sciences, Swansea University, UK J.P.J.Halcox@swansea.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Julian P J
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Halcox
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001781:Blood Component Removal; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014664:Vasodilation; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008055:Lipids
keywords: Endothelium; hyperaemia; pulse wave velocity; vasodilatation