(Circulation. 1997;96:3378-3383.)
© 1997 American Heart Association, Inc.
Articles |
Endothelium-Dependent Dilatation Is Impaired in Young Healthy Subjects With a Family History of Premature Coronary Disease
From the Cardiothoracic Unit, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London, UK, and the Department of Cardiology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Australia (D.S.C.).
Correspondence to John E. Deanfield, Cardiothoracic Unit, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Great Ormond St, London WC1N 3JH, UK.
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Abstract |
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Background A family history of premature coronary artery disease (CAD) in a first-degree relative is an independent risk factor for coronary disease. Both genetic and environmental influences are likely to be responsible and may interact, but their relative importance is unclear.
Methods and Results We studied endothelial
function in 50 first-degree relatives (31 men, 19 women; mean age,
25±8 years) of patients (men 
45years, women 55years) with proven
CAD. All subjects were well, lifelong nonsmokers, not diabetic, and not
hypertensive and took no medications. Using high-resolution external
vascular ultrasound, we measured brachial artery diameter at rest and
in response to reactive hyperemia (with increased flow causing
an endothelium-dependent vasodilatation) and to
sublingual glyceryltrinitrate (GTN, an
endothelium-independent dilator). Vascular responses
were compared with those of 50 healthy control subjects matched for age
and sex. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) was impaired in the family
history group (4.9±4.6% versus 8.3±3.5% in control subjects,
P<.005). In contrast, GTN caused dilatation in all subjects
(family history, 17.1±8.8%; control subjects, 19.0±6.3%;
P=NS), suggesting that reduced FMD was due to
endothelial dysfunction. When the family history
subjects were subdivided, those found to have a serum
cholesterol >4.2 mmol/L (group A, n=10) had mildly
impaired FMD compared with control subjects (5.5±5.1% versus
8.3±3.5%). In others whose affected relative had coronary
risk factors (group B, n=24), FMD was also only slightly reduced
(6.2±4.8% versus 8.3±3.5%). In contrast, subjects with no risk
factors and whose affected relative had a normal
cardiovascular risk factor profile (group C, n=16) had
markedly impaired FMD (2.9±3.7% versus 8.3±3.5%). Although ANOVA of
the three family history subgroups did not reach statistical
significance (F=2.55, P=.09), pairwise analysis
showed that FMD in group C was significantly impaired compared with
group B (P=.026).
Conclusions Healthy young adults with a family history of premature coronary disease may have impaired endothelium-dependent dilatation, even in the absence of other cardiovascular risk factors. Those subjects, who were free of risk factors and whose affected first-degree relative was free of risk factors, had the most impaired endothelial function, suggesting a genetic influence on early arterial physiology that may be relevant to later clinical disease.
Key Words: endothelium • family history • ultrasonics • genetics • risk factors
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Introduction |
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TopAbstractIntroductionMethodsResultsDiscussionReferences |
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A history of premature CAD in a first-degree relative is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease.1 2 3 4 5 Epidemiological studies suggest that the first-degree relatives of coronary patients have a 2.5- to 7-fold increase in risk of death from coronary disease compared with those without a family history of CAD.6
This inherited vascular risk may be mediated in a number of ways. Several major cardiovascular risk factors are known to be genetically influenced, including diabetes and hyperlipidemia, and levels of other cardiovascular risk factors such as homocysteine and fibrinogen may also have an inherited basis.7 8 9 10 It is also likely that a variety of genes interact to alter the arterial wall and/or its susceptibility to damage from risk factors.11
Damage to the vascular endothelium is an initiating event in experimental studies of atherogenesis.12 An early marker of endothelial dysfunction is the loss of endothelium-dependent dilatation, thought to be related to reduced activity of NO.13 14 Recent work suggests that NO not only regulates vascular tone but also has a key "antiatherogenic" role with regulation of vascular permeability, the inhibition of platelet adhesion/aggregation, leukocyte/vessel wall interaction, and smooth muscle proliferation.15
Endothelial dysfunction has been demonstrated in humans with clinical evidence of atherosclerosis16 and young, asymptomatic subjects who have established cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes.17 18 19 In this study, we have examined a cohort of young subjects identified by a family history of premature CAD but in whom these potentially confounding risk factors were excluded to examine the influence of family history on endothelial function.
We have found early endothelial dysfunction in the first-degree relatives of young coronary patients in whom family history was the only major cardiovascular risk factor. These subjects are likely to have the strongest genetically determined influence on their risk of subsequent arterial disease.
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Methods |
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TopAbstractIntroductionMethodsResultsDiscussionReferences |
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Study Subjects
We identified 122 patients (men
45 years, women 55 years)
with premature CAD (angiographically proven—
50% stenosis of
one or more of the major epicardial coronary arteries, or with
myocardial infarction—chest pain, development of Q waves on the
resting ECG, and appropriate cardiac enzyme rise) from coronary
care and angiography records from three London hospitals, over a
12-month period. These patients were assessed for
cardiovascular risk factors with a questionnaire
concerning smoking history and family history of CAD, and details of
their lipid profile and history of hypertension were obtained from
hospital records or their primary care physician. Those with
familial hypercholesterolemia (n=14) or
diabetes mellitus (n=6) identified in medical records were
excluded. The remaining 102 patients were contacted to determine
whether they had any first-degree relatives between 15 and 40 years of
age who were lifelong nonsmokers and not hypertensive (resting
BP<140/90) or diabetic (fasting plasma glucose <5.2
mmol/L) and who were receiving no regular vasoactive
medications. Of the 88 who replied, 29 patients had 50 first-degree
relatives (31 men, 19 women) who were willing to participate. Details
of smoking history, cholesterol levels, BP, and family
history were obtained in a cardiovascular risk
questionnaire from the patients with premature coronary
disease. The 50 subjects attended for study after a 12-hour overnight fast, and venous blood was withdrawn for measurement of plasma glucose (Kodac autoanalyzer), total cholesterol (cholesterol C-system high performance CHOD-PAP method), HDL cholesterol, afterprecipitation of apoprotein B–containing lipoproteins, and triglycerides (GPO-PAP high-performance enzymatic colorimetric test, Boehringer-Mannheim GmbH, Diagnostica). LDL cholesterol was calculated according to the formula of Friedwald et al.20 Lipoprotein(a) was measured with an ELISA method (Immuno GmbH). Fibrinogen and homocysteine levels were not measured. Supine BP was recorded after 5 minutes of rest, and a noninvasive study of vascular reactivity was performed (see below). Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were avoided for 5 days before the study.
Vascular responses were compared with those of 50 healthy control subjects matched for age and sex who were free of identifiable cardiovascular risk factors and recruited from hospital staff and their relatives. The study was approved by the local research ethics committee, and each subject gave informed consent.
The 50 individuals with a family history of premature CAD were then subdivided into three prospectively defined groups: group A, those who, on testing, had an elevated serum LDL cholesterol (>4.2 mmol/L); group B, those whose first-degree relative had known coronary risk factors (cigarette smoker >1 pack-year, LDL cholesterol >4.2 mmol/L or total cholesterol >5.5 mmol/L, and BP >140/90 mm Hg); and group C, those with no identifiable cardiovascular risk factors themselves and whose affected relative had no known cardiovascular risk factors. If the risk factor profile of the affected first-degree relative was not clearly defined, the subject was included in group B (those with relatives with risk factors).
Vascular Reactivity Study
Arterial endothelial and smooth
muscle function were studied noninvasively by examination of brachial
artery responses to endothelium-dependent and
-independent stimuli as we have previously described.21
Arterial diameter was measured from B-mode ultrasound
images at rest, in response to reactive hyperemia (with
increased flow producing endothelium-dependent
vasodilatation), again at rest, and after sublingual GTN (an
endothelium-independent vasodilator) by use of a
standard 7-MHz linear array transducer and Acuson 128XP/10 system.
The subject lay at rest for at least 10 minutes before the first scan and remained supine throughout the study. The brachial artery was scanned in a longitudinal section 2 to 15 cm above the elbow, and the center of the artery was identified when the clearest picture of the anterior and posterior wall layers was obtained. The transmit (focus) zone was set to a depth of the near wall, in view of the greater difficulty in evaluating the near compared with the far wall "m" line (the interface between the media and adventitia). Depth and gain settings were set to optimize images of the lumen/arterial wall interface, images were magnified using a resolution box function (leading to a line width of approximately 0.065 mm), and machine operating parameters were not changed during the study.
When a satisfactory transducer position was found, the skin was marked and the arm remained in the same position throughout the study. A resting scan was then recorded. Increased flow was then induced by inflation of a pneumatic tourniquet placed around the forearm (distal to the segment of artery being scanned) to a pressure of 250 to 300 mm Hg for 4.5 minutes, followed by release. A second scan was taken 30 seconds before release of the cuff and continued for 90 seconds after cuff deflation. The brachial artery dilatation to flow with this technique can be blocked by infusion of L-NMMA,22 a specific antagonist for NO synthase, and responses correlate with invasive tests of coronary endothelial function.23 Thereafter, a period of 10 to 15 minutes was allowed for vessel recovery, after which another resting scan was taken. Sublingual GTN spray (400 µg) was then administered, and the last scan was performed 3 to 4 minutes later. Doppler-derived flow measurements (using a pulsed-wave Doppler signal at a 70° angle to the vessel with the range gate [1.5 mm] in the center of the artery) were obtained during the first resting scan (baseline blood flow) and again during the first 15 seconds of reactive hyperemia (allowing the flow increase to be expressed as a percentage of the baseline flow). The ECG was monitored continuously throughout the study.
Data Analysis
All scans were recorded on super VHS videotape for later
analysis. Vessel diameters were measured by two "blinded"
observers unaware of the clinical details and the stage of the
experiment. The mean of the two observations was then taken. We have
shown previously that this method is accurate and reproducible for
measurement of small changes in arterial diameter, with low
interobserver error for measurement of FMD.24 The
arterial diameter was measured at a fixed distance from an
anatomical marker (such as a fascial plane or vein seen in cross
section), using ultrasonic calipers. Measurements were taken from the
anterior to the posterior m-line at end diastole. The mean
diameter was calculated from four cardiac cycles incident with the R
wave on the ECG. For the reactive hyperemia scan, diameter
measurements were taken 50 to 60 seconds after cuff deflation. Diameter
changes were derived as percentage change relative to the first
baseline scan (100%). Volume blood flow was calculated by multiplying
the velocity time integral of the Doppler flow signal (corrected
for angle) by the heart rate and the vessel cross-sectional area
(
xr2). The flow velocity used in our
calculation is taken from the center of the artery and therefore gives
an overestimate, but relative flow values before and after cuff
inflation are accurate. Reactive hyperemia was calculated as
the maximum flow measured during the first 15 seconds after cuff
deflation divided by the flow during the first resting (baseline)
scan.
Statistical Analysis
Descriptive data are expressed as mean± SD. The family history
and control groups were compared by use of two sample (independent)
Student's t tests. Corrections for multiple comparisons
were made when appropriate. One-way ANOVA was then performed to compare
FMD and GTN responses in the three family history subgroups. Pairwise
comparisons were then made, with the primary comparison being between
those subjects, themselves free of cardiovascular risk
factors, whose affected relative had cardiovascular
risk factors (group B) and those whose affected relative was free of
cardiovascular risk factors (group C). For the whole
group, family history subjects and control subjects, we used
univariate and multivariate regression
analysis to explore the relationship between both FMD and
GTN-mediated dilatation and age, resting brachial artery diameter,
reactive hyperemia, BP, total cholesterol, and
family history of premature CAD. Similar analyses were
performed to study determinants of FMD in the family history group
alone. Statistical significance was inferred at P<.05.
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Results |
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TopAbstractIntroductionMethodsResultsDiscussionReferences |
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Characteristics of Premature CAD Patients and Study Subjects
Of the 29 patients (17 men, 12 women) whose offspring participated in the study, 18 were identified from coronary angiography and 11 from coronary care records. The risk factor profile of these patients was as follows. Of these patients, 10 were lifelong nonsmokers, 6 smoked
10 pack-years, and 13 smoked >10 pack-years.
Eleven patients had a history of
hypercholesterolemia (total
cholesterol >5.5 mmol/L), 8 patients had a
history of hypertension (resting supine BP>140/90 mm Hg), and 21
patients themselves had a first-degree relative with CAD. Nine patients
had no identifiable coronary risk factors (except for a family
history of CAD).
The characteristics of the 50 offspring of the CAD patients
(family history subjects) and their matched control subjects are shown
in the Table
. Total
cholesterol levels were significantly higher in the family
history group, but other characteristics, including BP, were similar.
Within the family history subjects, 10 had a serum LDL
cholesterol >4.2 mmol/L (group A), 24 had a
first-degree relative with cardiovascular risk factors
(group B), and 16 had an affected relative with no identifiable risk
factors (except for family history, group C).
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Vascular Reactivity Studies
Resting brachial artery diameter, baseline flow, and the degree of
reactive hyperemia were similar in family history subjects and
control subjects (the Table
). In the 50 family history subjects, FMD
was markedly reduced (5.0±4.6% versus 8.2±3.5%, P<.001)
compared with the control group; as expected for this
heterogeneous population (groups A, B, and C), there was a
wide range of responses (Fig 1a). GTN
caused dilatation in all subjects (family history subjects,
17.1±8.8%; control subjects, 19.0±6.3%; P=.21),
suggesting that reduced FMD in the family history group is due to
endothelial dysfunction (Fig 1b).
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We examined both FMD and GTN responses in the three subgroups of family
history subjects (groups A, B, and C), although these groups are
relatively small. In those family history subjects with an LDL
cholesterol >4.2 mmol/L (group A), FMD was
mildly impaired (5.5±5.1% versus 8.2±3.5% in control subjects), as
might be expected from previous work.25 Similarly, FMD was
only slightly depressed in the family history subjects whose
first-degree relatives had major cardiovascular risk
factors (group B) (6.2±4.8% versus 8.2±3.5% in the control
subjects). In contrast, the group with no risk factors in either
themselves or their affected relatives (group C) had markedly abnormal
FMD (2.9±3.7% versus 8.2±3.5% in the control subjects, which is
highly significant [P<.0001]). Although ANOVA of the
three family history subgroups did not reach statistical significance
(F=2.55, P=.09), pairwise analysis showed that FMD
in group C was significantly more impaired than in group B
(P=.026) (Fig 2). The GTN
responses were not significantly different within the three family
history groups or compared with the control subjects.
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Determinants of FMD and GTN Dilatation
On multivariate regression analysis of the
combined group of 100 family history subjects and control subjects, the
strongest correlation was between FMD and a history of premature CAD
(partial r=-.32, P<.005), but FMD was also
related to vessel size (r=-.24, P<.05) as has
previously been shown.21 Within the 50 family history
subjects, similar multivariate regression
analyses were performed, but no correlation was found between
FMD and total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL
cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoprotein(a), or
resting BP. GTN-mediated responses within the whole group of 100
subjects were inversely correlated with vessel size (partial
r=-.21, P<.05), but no other relationships were
found. There were no significant determinants of GTN response within
the family history group alone.
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Discussion |
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TopAbstractIntroductionMethodsResultsDiscussionReferences |
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We have shown that young adults with a family history of premature CAD have impaired endothelium-dependent FMD in large arteries of the systemic circulation. This was most obvious in subjects without additional risk factors themselves or in their affected first-degree relative, suggesting a direct inherited influence on arterial function from an early age, which may be relevant to the risk of subsequent development of vascular disease.
Epidemiological studies have examined the relationship between a family history of premature CAD and the development of atherosclerotic disease in populations with other cardiovascular risk factors.2 3 4 5 6 Several studies have shown that a family history of CAD is independently associated with the complications of atherosclerotic disease, and some workers have demonstrated a clustering of cardiovascular risk within families, suggesting a genetic influence.1
Our results provide objective evidence of abnormal arterial physiology, long before the development of clinical CAD, in young subjects with an adverse family history. The abnormality is likely to reflect endothelial dysfunction, a key early event in atherogenesis.
The noninvasive method used enables accurate and reproducible assessment of endothelial function in humans.21 24 The technique compares dilatation in response to increased flow with that to GNT. FMD is known to depend on the ability of endothelium to release NO in response to shear stress and consequently can be substantially attenuated by interarterial administration of L-NMMA, a specific antagonist of NO synthase.22 A close correlation has been established between endothelial function in the brachial artery, assessed with our method, and endothelial function in the coronary arteries, studied invasively by infusion of acetylcholine.23
In previous studies, we have demonstrated the influence of a number of recognized cardiovascular risk factors, including cigarette smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes, on this measure of early arterial function.17 18 25 We therefore purposefully excluded subjects with identifiable risk factors, ie, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and familial hypercholesterolemia, from our cohort. Nevertheless, subjects identified on the basis of a family history of CAD form a heterogeneous population, and it is not surprising that a wide range of vascular responses was found.
The influence of family history of CAD on vascular physiology and
cardiovascular risk is likely to be multifactorial.
Some subjects identified on the basis of a family history of CAD have
risk factors such as elevated LDL cholesterol. This was the
case in 20% of our subjects (group A), and they had a small reduction
in FMD compared with the control subjects, as found in our previous
studies.25 The presence of elevated
cholesterol may be a chance association with family history
or may represent an inherited form of
hyperlipidemia, despite the fact that we excluded
subjects with familial hypercholesterolemia.
Other subjects with a family history of CAD had first-degree relatives
who themselves had a clearly abnormal cardiovascular
risk factor profile that probably contributed to their
cardiovascular disease (group B). As might be expected,
FMD in these subjects was not significantly decreased, suggesting a low
inherited risk. Any impairment of FMD is likely to be due to shared
environmental influences such as environmental tobacco smoke exposure
and diet. Most interesting were the subjects who themselves had no
identifiable vascular risk factors and whose first-degree relative with
premature CAD had a normal cardiovascular risk factor
profile. These subjects had the most abnormal
endothelial function. Because shared environmental
influences are unlikely to have an important effect, an inherited
abnormality of the vessel wall or an inherited increased vulnerability
to circulating risk factors is likely to be present.26
We cannot, however, exclude the influences of other inherited
biochemical and serological factors such as homocysteine and fibrinogen
on arterial function. An increased plasma homocysteine
level has been shown to be an independent risk factor for CAD in a
recent large meta-analysis.27 We have previously
found that the heterozygous parents of homozygous children with
homocystinuria (who have markedly raised plasma homocysteine levels and
impaired FMD) had normal endothelial
function,28 and elevated homocysteine levels are unlikely
to be the basis for the markedly abnormal endothelial
responses seen in a third of our subjects. Although we were unable to
control for environmental factors that might have been shared between
the affected relative and the study subjects, these cannot explain the
marked abnormality of endothelium-dependent relaxation
in the group C subjects, who were least likely to have been exposed to
factors such as passive smoking. It is well known that reported
paternity is unreliable in 
10% of families. Although we could not
correct for this in our study, its influence would operate to weaken
the effects we have found.
The inherited basis of coronary disease likely to be represented in the group C subjects remains poorly understood. Single gene abnormalities, such as ACE gene polymorphism, have been linked to cardiovascular disease later in life, but in most cases, the development of atherosclerosis and its complications is likely to have a polygenic basis.11 Our findings suggest that the NO pathway is abnormal from an early stage but cannot distinguish between an abnormality of NO availability or nonspecific manifestations of another genetically determined abnormality.29 Whatever the basis of the impaired endothelial function, decreased bioavailability of NO may nevertheless contribute to the inherited predisposition to the development of arterial disease.
Although long-term follow-up studies investigating clinical outcome in young people identified as having endothelial dysfunction have not yet been conducted, our current understanding of the evolution of the atherosclerosis would suggest a contribution to increased risk of later CAD.12 In this group of young people with a strong family history of premature CAD, impaired FMD may therefore act as a phenotypic marker for those with the inherited tendency to develop CAD. Impaired FMD, used alone or in conjunction with other markers, might facilitate genetic linkage, or sibling pair analyses, helping to identify those genes that influence the development of this disease.
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Selected Abbreviations and Acronyms |
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Acknowledgments |
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Dr Clarkson was supported by the British Heart Foundation, Dr Celermajer by the National Heart Foundation of Australia, and Ann Donald by the Coronary Artery Disease Association.
Received February 10, 1997; revision received June 23, 1997; accepted July 3, 1997.
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S. M.L. Wallace, Yasmin, C. M. McEniery, K. M. Maki-Petaja, A. D. Booth, J. R. Cockcroft, and I. B. Wilkinson Isolated Systolic Hypertension Is Characterized by Increased Aortic Stiffness and Endothelial Dysfunction Hypertension, July 1, 2007; 50(1): 228 - 233. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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M. Juonala, J. S. A. Viikari, L. Rasanen, H. Helenius, M. Pietikainen, and O. T. Raitakari Young Adults With Family History of Coronary Heart Disease Have Increased Arterial Vulnerability to Metabolic Risk Factors: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, June 1, 2006; 26(6): 1376 - 1382. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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J. N. Cohn, D. A. Duprez, and G. A. Grandits Arterial Elasticity as Part of a Comprehensive Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk and Drug Treatment Hypertension, July 1, 2005; 46(1): 217 - 220. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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M. L. Bots, J. Westerink, T. J. Rabelink, and E. J.P. de Koning Assessment of flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery: effects of technical aspects of the FMD measurement on the FMD response Eur. Heart J., February 2, 2005; 26(4): 363 - 368. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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A. Y. Chong, A. D. Blann, J. Patel, B. Freestone, E. Hughes, and G. Y.H. Lip Endothelial Dysfunction and Damage in Congestive Heart Failure: Relation of Flow-Mediated Dilation to Circulating Endothelial Cells, Plasma Indexes of Endothelial Damage, and Brain Natriuretic Peptide Circulation, September 28, 2004; 110(13): 1794 - 1798. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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A. H. Slyper What Vascular Ultrasound Testing Has Revealed about Pediatric Atherogenesis, and a Potential Clinical Role for Ultrasound in Pediatric Risk Assessment J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2004; 89(7): 3089 - 3095. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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J. P. Casas, L. E. Bautista, S. E. Humphries, and A. D. Hingorani Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Genotype and Ischemic Heart Disease: Meta-Analysis of 26 Studies Involving 23028 Subjects Circulation, March 23, 2004; 109(11): 1359 - 1365. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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E. J. Benjamin, M. G. Larson, M. J. Keyes, G. F. Mitchell, R. S. Vasan, J. F. Keaney Jr, B. T. Lehman, S. Fan, E. Osypiuk, and J. A. Vita Clinical Correlates and Heritability of Flow-Mediated Dilation in the Community: The Framingham Heart Study Circulation, February 10, 2004; 109(5): 613 - 619. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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T. J. Wang, B.-H. Nam, R. B. D'Agostino, P. A. Wolf, D. M. Lloyd-Jones, C. A. MacRae, P. W. Wilson, J. F. Polak, and C. J. O'Donnell Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Is Associated With Premature Parental Coronary Heart Disease: The Framingham Heart Study Circulation, August 5, 2003; 108(5): 572 - 576. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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J. H. Walsh, W. Bilsborough, A. Maiorana, M. Best, G. J. O'Driscoll, R. R. Taylor, and D. J. Green Exercise training improves conduit vessel function in patients with coronary artery disease J Appl Physiol, July 1, 2003; 95(1): 20 - 25. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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R. J. Bisoendial, G. K. Hovingh, J. H.M. Levels, P. G. Lerch, I. Andresen, M. R. Hayden, J. J.P. Kastelein, and E. S.G. Stroes Restoration of Endothelial Function by Increasing High-Density Lipoprotein in Subjects With Isolated Low High-Density Lipoprotein Circulation, June 17, 2003; 107(23): 2944 - 2948. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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P. Khairy, S. Rinfret, J.-C. Tardif, R. Marchand, S. Shapiro, J. Brophy, and J. Dupuis Absence of Association Between Infectious Agents and Endothelial Function in Healthy Young Men Circulation, April 22, 2003; 107(15): 1966 - 1971. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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J. H. Cole, J. I. Miller III, L. S. Sperling, and W. S. Weintraub Long-term follow-up of coronary artery disease presenting in young adults J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., February 19, 2003; 41(4): 521 - 528. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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S. Cuomo, P. Guarini, G. Gaeta, M. de Michele, F. Boeri, J. Dorn, M.G. Bond, and M. Trevisan Increased carotid intima-media thickness in children-adolescents, and young adults with a parental history of premature myocardial infarction Eur. Heart J., September 1, 2002; 23(17): 1345 - 1350. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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V. Jomini, S.e. Oppliger-Pasquali, V. Wietlisbach, N. Rodondi, V. Jotterand, F. Paccaud, R. Darioli, P. Nicod, and V. Mooser contribution of major cardiovascular risk factors to familial premature coronary artery disease: The GENECARD project J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., August 21, 2002; 40(4): 676 - 684. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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M. Komatsu, T. Kawagishi, M. Emoto, T. Shoji, A. Yamada, K. Sato, M. Hosoi, and Y. Nishizawa ecNOS gene polymorphism is associated with endothelium-dependent vasodilation in Type 2 diabetes Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, August 1, 2002; 283(2): H557 - H561. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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P. G. Fegan, K. M. Macleod, J. E. Tooke, and A. C. Shore n-3 NEFA: vascular implications Eur. Heart J., February 1, 2002; 23(3): 185 - 187. [Full Text] [PDF]
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M. Kelm Flow-mediated dilatation in human circulation: diagnostic and therapeutic aspects Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, January 1, 2002; 282(1): H1 - H5. [Full Text] [PDF]
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M. J. Jarvisalo, T. Ronnemaa, I. Volanen, T. Kaitosaari, K. Kallio, J. J. Hartiala, K. Irjala, J. S. A. Viikari, O. Simell, and O. T. Raitakari Brachial artery dilatation responses in healthy children and adolescents Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, January 1, 2002; 282(1): H87 - H92. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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E. Diamanti-Kandarakis, G. Spina, C. Kouli, and I. Migdalis Increased Endothelin-1 Levels in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Beneficial Effect of Metformin Therapy J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2001; 86(10): 4666 - 4673. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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T. Tsunekawa, T. Hayashi, H. Kano, D. Sumi, H. Matsui-Hirai, N. K. Thakur, K. Egashira, and A. Iguchi Cerivastatin, a Hydroxymethylglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase Inhibitor, Improves Endothelial Function in Elderly Diabetic Patients Within 3 Days Circulation, July 24, 2001; 104(4): 376 - 379. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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H. Martin, J. Hu, G. Gennser, and M. Norman Impaired Endothelial Function and Increased Carotid Stiffness in 9-Year-Old Children With Low Birthweight Circulation, November 28, 2000; 102(22): 2739 - 2744. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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J. M. Mostaza, M. V. Gomez, F. Gallardo, M. L. Salazar, R. Martin-Jadraque, L. Plaza-Celemin, I. Gonzalez-Maqueda, and L. Martin-Jadraque Cholesterol reduction improves myocardial perfusion abnormalities in patients with coronary artery disease and average cholesterol levels J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., January 1, 2000; 35(1): 76 - 82. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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S. C. Lim, A. E. Caballero, S. Arora, P. Smakowski, E. M. Bashoff, F. M. Brown, F. W. Logerfo, E. S. Horton, and A. Veves The Effect of Hormonal Replacement Therapy on the Vascular Reactivity and Endothelial Function of Healthy Individuals and Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 1999; 84(11): 4159 - 4164. [Abstract] [Full Text]
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V. Schachinger, M. B. Britten, M. Elsner, D. H. Walter, I. Scharrer, and A. M. Zeiher A Positive Family History of Premature Coronary Artery Disease Is Associated With Impaired Endothelium-Dependent Coronary Blood Flow Regulation Circulation, October 5, 1999; 100(14): 1502 - 1508. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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W. C. Hooper, C. Lally, H. Austin, J. Benson, A. Dilley, N. K. Wenger, C. Whitsett, P. Rawlins, and B. L. Evatt The Relationship Between Polymorphisms in the Endothelial Cell Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene and the Platelet GPIIIa Gene With Myocardial Infarction and Venous Thromboembolism in African Americans Chest, October 1, 1999; 116(4): 880 - 886. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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H. Drexler Nitric oxide and coronary endothelial dysfunction in humans Cardiovasc Res, August 15, 1999; 43(3): 572 - 579. [Full Text] [PDF]
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S. J Duffy, G. New, R. W Harper, and I. T Meredith Metabolic vasodilation in the human forearm is preserved in hypercholesterolemia despite impairment of endothelium-dependent and independent vasodilation Cardiovasc Res, August 15, 1999; 43(3): 721 - 730. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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