title: Comprehensive assessment of vascular health in patients; towards endothelium-guided therapy.
abstract: Endothelial function has diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic significance. A number of non-invasive techniques were introduced for its assessment, including flow-mediated dilation (FMD), finger plethysmography (RH-PAT) and digital thermal monitoring (DTM). All these methods can be performed simultaneously. In addition, various methods for measuring arterial wall stiffness are available such as: pulse wave analysis (PWA), pulse wave velocity (PWV), pulse contour analysis (PCA) and carotid wall distensibility coefficient (DC). Finally, carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and ankle brachial index (ABI) are used as surrogate read-outs of atherosclerosis. Here, we briefly describe the advantages, limitations and interrelationships of various methods used for the assessment of endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and present the concept of an integrated evaluation of vascular health based on multiple methods. This strategy may be useful to stratify cardiovascular risk and represents a step towards multiparametric assessment of endothelium for effective endothelium-guided therapy in patients with cardiovascular diseases.
authors: Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; Department of Angiology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland. Electronic address: marzena.frolow@uj.edu.pl.
authors: Marzena
authors: M
authors: Frolow
authors: Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Agata
authors: A
authors: Drozdz
authors: Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Agata
authors: A
authors: Kowalewska
authors: Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Rafal
authors: R
authors: Nizankowski
authors: Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Chair of Pharmacology, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Chlopicki
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness / Q000639:trends; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D012307:Risk Factors; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Artery stiffness; Endothelial dysfunction; Flow-mediated dilation; Multiparametric assessment; Peripheral artery tonometry