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(Circulation. 2003;108:e9045.)
© 2003 American Heart Association, Inc.

Cardiovascular News

Ruth SoRelle, MPH

Circulation Newswriter

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

New Measurement Gives Clues to Cardiovascular Risk

Low brachial artery flow-mediated dilation is a strong independent indicator of cardiovascular risk in patients with peripheral artery disease. It adds to the predictive value of the ankle brachial plexus index, the most powerful prognostic indicator in these patients, according to researchers from Italy in this issue of the journal Circulation (Circulation. 2003;108:2093–2098) .

In 131 patients followed up for an average of 23 months, 18 had a coronary event, 12 a cerebrovascular event, and 9 a peripheral event. In those patients who had an event, the brachial artery flow-mediated dilation was lower than in those who had no event, according to the researchers, who were led by Gregorio Brevetti, MD, of the Department of Clinical Medicine and Cardiovascular and Immunological Sciences at the University "Federico II" in Naples, Italy.

The author said that in addition to adding the measurement as an indicator of cardiovascular risk, the study provides "the first demonstration that measurement of brachial artery vasoreactivity can add to the standard cardiovascular risk prediction. Indeed, in our population, FMD [brachial artery flow-mediated dilation] improved the prognostic value of ABPI [ankle brachial plexus index], the most powerful marker of cardiovascular risk in PAD [peripheral artery disease]. Therefore, FMD measurement may be particularly useful to identify an endothelial dysfunction and PAD subgroup of claudicants at increased risk. We hope that our studies will prompt studies aimed at assessing whether patients with PAD with severe endothelial dysfunction could represent a target population for ACE inhibitors and statins, which have . . . [Full Text of this Article]