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De Lorenzo A, Fernandes M, Tibirica E. From bench to bedside: A review of the application and potential of microcirculatory assessment by hand-held videomicroscopy. IJC HEART & VASCULATURE 2024; 53:101451. [PMID: 39050555 PMCID: PMC11266521 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcha.2024.101451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
In clinical practice, there is vast knowledge regarding the evaluation of macrocirculatory parameters, such as systemic blood pressure and cardiac output, for the hemodynamic monitoring of patients. However, assessment of the microcirculation has not yet been incorporated into the bedside armamentarium. Hand-held intravital video microscopy enables the direct, noninvasive, evaluation of the sublingual microcirculation at the bedside, offering insights into the status of the systemic microcirculation. It is easily performed and may be employed in several clinical settings, providing immediate results that may help guide patient management. Therefore, the incorporation of hand-held intravital video microscopy into clinical practice may lead to tremendous improvements in the quality of care of critical, unstable patients or offer new data in the evaluation of patients with chronic diseases, especially those with microcirculatory involvement, such as occurs in diabetes.
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van der Velden AIM, IJpelaar DHT, Chandie Shaw PK, Pijl H, Vink H, van der Vlag J, Rabelink TJ, van den Berg BM. Role of dietary interventions on microvascular health in South-Asian Surinamese people with type 2 diabetes in the Netherlands: A randomized controlled trial. Nutr Diabetes 2024; 14:17. [PMID: 38600065 PMCID: PMC11006941 DOI: 10.1038/s41387-024-00275-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES We investigated whether dietary interventions, i.e. a fasting mimicking diet (FMD, Prolon®) or glycocalyx mimetic supplementation (EndocalyxTM) could stabilize microvascular function in Surinamese South-Asian patients with type 2 diabetes (SA-T2DM) in the Netherlands, a patient population more prone to develop vascular complications. SUBJECTS/METHODS A randomized, placebo controlled, 3-arm intervention study was conducted in 56 SA-T2DM patients between 18 and 75 years old, for 3 consecutive months, with one additional follow up measurement 3 months after the last intervention. Sublingual microcirculation was assessed with SDF-imaging coupled to the GlycoCheckTM software, detecting red blood cell velocity, capillary density, static and dynamic perfused boundary region (PBR), and the overall microvascular health score (MVHS). Linear mixed models and interaction analysis were used to investigate the effects the interventions had on microvascular function. RESULTS Despite a temporal improvement in BMI and HbA1c after FMD the major treatment effect on microvascular health was worsening for RBC-velocity independent PBRdynamic, especially at follow-up. Glycocalyx supplementation, however, reduced urinary MCP-1 presence and improved both PBRdynamic and MVHSdynamic, which persisted at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS We showed that despite temporal beneficial changes in BMI and HbA1c after FMD, this intervention is not able to preserve microvascular endothelial health in Dutch South-Asian patients with T2DM. In contrast, glycocalyx mimetics preserves the microvascular endothelial health and reduces the inflammatory cytokine MCP-1. CLINICAL STUDY REGISTRATION NCT03889236.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouk I M van der Velden
- Department of Internal Medicine (Nephrology), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory of Vascular and Regenerative Medicine, LUMC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Daphne H T IJpelaar
- Department of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Green Heart Hospital, Gouda, The Netherlands
| | - Prataap K Chandie Shaw
- Department of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Haaglanden Medical Center, The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - Hanno Pijl
- Einthoven Laboratory of Vascular and Regenerative Medicine, LUMC, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine (Endocrinology), LUMC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Vink
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- MicroVascular Health Solutions LLC, Alpine, Utah, USA
| | - Johan van der Vlag
- Department of Nephrology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ton J Rabelink
- Department of Internal Medicine (Nephrology), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory of Vascular and Regenerative Medicine, LUMC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Bernard M van den Berg
- Department of Internal Medicine (Nephrology), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Einthoven Laboratory of Vascular and Regenerative Medicine, LUMC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Mengozzi A, de Ciuceis C, Dell'oro R, Georgiopoulos G, Lazaridis A, Nosalski R, Pavlidis G, Tual-Chalot S, Agabiti-Rosei C, Anyfanti P, Camargo LL, Dąbrowska E, Quarti-Trevano F, Hellmann M, Masi S, Mavraganis G, Montezano AC, Rios FJ, Winklewski PJ, Wolf J, Costantino S, Gkaliagkousi E, Grassi G, Guzik TJ, Ikonomidis I, Narkiewicz K, Paneni F, Rizzoni D, Stamatelopoulos K, Stellos K, Taddei S, Touyz RM, Triantafyllou A, Virdis A. The importance of microvascular inflammation in ageing and age-related diseases: a position paper from the ESH working group on small arteries, section of microvascular inflammation. J Hypertens 2023; 41:1521-1543. [PMID: 37382158 DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0000000000003503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Microcirculation is pervasive and orchestrates a profound regulatory cross-talk with the surrounding tissue and organs. Similarly, it is one of the earliest biological systems targeted by environmental stressors and consequently involved in the development and progression of ageing and age-related disease. Microvascular dysfunction, if not targeted, leads to a steady derangement of the phenotype, which cumulates comorbidities and eventually results in a nonrescuable, very high-cardiovascular risk. Along the broad spectrum of pathologies, both shared and distinct molecular pathways and pathophysiological alteration are involved in the disruption of microvascular homeostasis, all pointing to microvascular inflammation as the putative primary culprit. This position paper explores the presence and the detrimental contribution of microvascular inflammation across the whole spectrum of chronic age-related diseases, which characterise the 21st-century healthcare landscape. The manuscript aims to strongly affirm the centrality of microvascular inflammation by recapitulating the current evidence and providing a clear synoptic view of the whole cardiometabolic derangement. Indeed, there is an urgent need for further mechanistic exploration to identify clear, very early or disease-specific molecular targets to provide an effective therapeutic strategy against the otherwise unstoppable rising prevalence of age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Mengozzi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Center for Translational and Experimental Cardiology (CTEC), Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Health Science Interdisciplinary Center, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa
| | - Carolina de Ciuceis
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia
| | - Raffaella Dell'oro
- Clinica Medica, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Georgios Georgiopoulos
- Angiology and Endothelial Pathophysiology Unit, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens
| | - Antonios Lazaridis
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ryszard Nosalski
- Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences; Queen's Medical Research Institute; University of Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Internal Medicine
- Center for Medical Genomics OMICRON, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - George Pavlidis
- Preventive Cardiology Laboratory and Clinic of Cardiometabolic Diseases, 2 Cardiology Department, Attikon Hospital, Athens
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Simon Tual-Chalot
- Biosciences Institute, Vascular Biology and Medicine Theme, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | | | - Panagiota Anyfanti
- Second Medical Department, Hippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Livia L Camargo
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Edyta Dąbrowska
- Department of Hypertension and Diabetology, Center of Translational Medicine
- Center of Translational Medicine
| | - Fosca Quarti-Trevano
- Clinica Medica, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Marcin Hellmann
- Department of Cardiac Diagnostics, Medical University, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Stefano Masi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Georgios Mavraganis
- Angiology and Endothelial Pathophysiology Unit, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens
| | - Augusto C Montezano
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Francesco J Rios
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Jacek Wolf
- Department of Hypertension and Diabetology, Center of Translational Medicine
| | - Sarah Costantino
- Center for Translational and Experimental Cardiology (CTEC), Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- University Heart Center, Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich
| | - Eugenia Gkaliagkousi
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Guido Grassi
- Clinica Medica, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Tomasz J Guzik
- Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences; Queen's Medical Research Institute; University of Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Internal Medicine
- Center for Medical Genomics OMICRON, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ignatios Ikonomidis
- Preventive Cardiology Laboratory and Clinic of Cardiometabolic Diseases, 2 Cardiology Department, Attikon Hospital, Athens
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | | | - Francesco Paneni
- Center for Translational and Experimental Cardiology (CTEC), Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- University Heart Center, Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich
- Department of Research and Education, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Damiano Rizzoni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia
- Division of Medicine, Spedali Civili di Brescia, Montichiari, Brescia, Italy
| | - Kimon Stamatelopoulos
- Angiology and Endothelial Pathophysiology Unit, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens
| | - Konstantinos Stellos
- Biosciences Institute, Vascular Biology and Medicine Theme, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
- Department of Cardiovascular Research, European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung, DZHK), Heidelberg/Mannheim Partner Site
- Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Manheim, Germany
| | - Stefano Taddei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rhian M Touyz
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Areti Triantafyllou
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Agostino Virdis
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Yuan L, Han J, van der Velden AIM, Vink H, de Mutsert R, Rosendaal FR, van Hylckama Vlieg A, Li-Gao R, Rabelink TJ, van den Berg BM. Sex-specific association between microvascular health and coagulation parameters: the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity study. J Thromb Haemost 2023; 21:2585-2595. [PMID: 37301258 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtha.2023.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microvascular dysfunction is a growing determinant of sex differences in coronary heart disease (CHD). Dysregulation of the coagulation system is involved in CHD pathogenesis and can be induced by endothelial glycocalyx (EG) perturbation. However, little is known about the link between EG function and coagulation parameters in population-based studies on sex specificity. OBJECTIVES We sought to examine the sex differences in the relationship between EG function and coagulation parameters in a middle-aged Dutch population. METHODS Using baseline measurements of 771 participants from the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity study (age, 56 years [IQR, 51-61 years]; 53% women; body mass index, 27.9 kg/m2 [IQR, 25.1-30.9 kg/m2]), associations between glycocalyx-related perfused boundary region (PBR) derived using sidestream dark-field imaging and coagulation parameters (factor [F]VIII/IX/XI; thrombin generation parameters; and fibrinogen) were investigated using linear regression analyses, adjusting for possible confounders (including C-reactive protein, leptin, and glycoprotein acetyls), followed by sex-stratified analyses. RESULTS There was a sex difference in the associations between PBR and coagulation parameters. Particularly in women, 1-SD PBR (both total and feed vessel, indicating poorer glycocalyx status) was associated with higher FIX activity ([1.8%; 95% CI, 0.3%-3.3%] and [2.0%; 95% CI, 0.5%-3.4%], respectively) and plasma fibrinogen levels ([5.1 mg/dL; 95% CI, 0.4-9.9 mg/dL] and [5.8 mg/dL; 95% CI, 1.1-10.6 mg/dL], respectively). Furthermore, 1-SD PBRcapillary was associated with higher FVIII activity (3.5%; 95% CI, 0.4%-6.5%) and plasma fibrinogen levels (5.3 mg/dL; 95% CI, 0.6-10.0 mg/dL). CONCLUSION We revealed a sex-specific association between microcirculatory health and procoagulant status, which suggests that microvascular health be considered during early development of CHD in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lushun Yuan
- Einthoven Laboratory for Vascular and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jihee Han
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Anouk I M van der Velden
- Einthoven Laboratory for Vascular and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Vink
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands; MicroVascular Health Solutions LLC, Alpine, Utah, USA
| | - Renée de Mutsert
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Frits R Rosendaal
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Ruifang Li-Gao
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Metabolon Inc, Morrisville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ton J Rabelink
- Einthoven Laboratory for Vascular and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Bernard M van den Berg
- Einthoven Laboratory for Vascular and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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Cusack R, Leone M, Rodriguez AH, Martin-Loeches I. Endothelial Damage and the Microcirculation in Critical Illness. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10123150. [PMID: 36551905 PMCID: PMC9776078 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Endothelial integrity maintains microcirculatory flow and tissue oxygen delivery. The endothelial glycocalyx is involved in cell signalling, coagulation and inflammation. Our ability to treat critically ill and septic patients effectively is determined by understanding the underpinning biological mechanisms. Many mechanisms govern the development of sepsis and many large trials for new treatments have failed to show a benefit. Endothelial dysfunction is possibly one of these biological mechanisms. Glycocalyx damage is measured biochemically. Novel microscopy techniques now mean the glycocalyx can be indirectly visualised, using sidestream dark field imaging. How the clinical visualisation of microcirculation changes relate to biochemical laboratory measurements of glycocalyx damage is not clear. This article reviews the evidence for a relationship between clinically evaluable microcirculation and biological signal of glycocalyx disruption in various diseases in ICU. Microcirculation changes relate to biochemical evidence of glycocalyx damage in some disease states, but results are highly variable. Better understanding and larger studies of this relationship could improve phenotyping and personalised medicine in the future. Damage to the glycocalyx could underpin many critical illness pathologies and having real-time information on the glycocalyx and microcirculation in the future could improve patient stratification, diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Cusack
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, St. James’s Hospital, James’s Street, D08 NHY1 Dublin, Ireland
- School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, D02 R590 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Marc Leone
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Nord, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Aix Marseille University, 13015 Marseille, France
| | - Alejandro H. Rodriguez
- Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Universitario Joan XXIII, 43005 Tarragona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgil, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
- Departament Medicina I Cirurgia, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43003 Tarragona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Martin-Loeches
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, St. James’s Hospital, James’s Street, D08 NHY1 Dublin, Ireland
- School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, D02 R590 Dublin, Ireland
- Correspondence:
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Pan X, Yue L, Ban J, Ren L, Chen S. Effects of Semaglutide on Cardiac Protein Expression and Cardiac Function of Obese Mice. J Inflamm Res 2022; 15:6409-6425. [PMID: 36452054 PMCID: PMC9704011 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s391859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Using proteomics to study the effect of semaglutide on cardiac protein expression in obese mice. Assessment of the effect of semaglutide on cardiac function in obese mice. Materials and Methods The mice were randomly divided into three groups: the control group (WC), the high-fat group (WF), and the high-fat diet with semaglutide intervention group (WS). Serum samples were collected, and lipids, blood glucose, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, and cardiac ultrasound, were examined. The cardiac weight of each group of mice was measured, and pathological alterations were examined. Inflammation and oxidative stress levels in heart tissue were evaluated. The labeling coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) platform was used to find differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) and screen for related pathways and key proteins in a proteomics study. Results Semaglutide greatly alleviated obesity-induced lipid metabolism abnormalities, improved cardiac ventricular wall thickening, and significantly reduced myocardial collagen content in obese mice. Semaglutide significantly reduces obesity-induced inflammation and oxidative stress. There were 64 DEPs in the WF/WC group, with 39 upregulated proteins and 25 downregulated proteins. The WS/WC group, on the other hand, had 83 DEPs, including 57 upregulated and 26 downregulated proteins. Following functional analysis, DEPs were shown to be largely associated with lipid metabolism and peroxisomes. Apolipoprotein A-II, catalase, diazepam-binding inhibitor, paraoxonase-1, and hydroxysteroid 17-dehydrogenase-4 were all upregulated in the WF group but significantly downregulated in the WS group. A high-fat diet increases the expression of lipid synthesis and transport proteins while increasing inflammation and oxidative stress damage. Conclusion Semaglutide decreases lipid synthesis alleviates inflammation and oxidative stress and prevents lipid peroxidation and cardiac impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Pan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Endocrinology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lin Yue
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Endocrinology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiangli Ban
- Department of Endocrinology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lin Ren
- Department of Endocrinology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuchun Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Endocrinology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Shuchun Chen, Department of Endocrinology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 31185988406, Fax +86 31185988406, Email
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Rizzoni D, Mengozzi A, Masi S, Agabiti Rosei C, De Ciuceis C, Virdis A. New Noninvasive Methods to Evaluate Microvascular Structure and Function. Hypertension 2022; 79:874-886. [PMID: 35114816 DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.121.17954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The structural and functional alterations of microvessels are detected because of physiological aging and in several cardiometabolic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. The small resistance arteries of these patients show an increase in the media or total wall thickness to internal lumen diameter ratio (MLR or WLR), often accompanied by endothelial dysfunction. For decades, micromyography has been considered as a gold standard method for evaluating microvascular structural alterations through the measurement of MLR or WLR of subcutaneous small vessels dissected from tissue biopsies. Micromyography is the most common and reliable method for assessing microcirculatory endothelial function ex vivo, while strain-gauge venous plethysmography is considered the reference technique for in vivo studies. Recently, several noninvasive methods have been proposed to extend the microvasculature evaluation to a broader range of patients and clinical settings. Scanning laser Doppler flowmetry and adaptive optics are increasingly used to estimate the WLR of retinal arterioles. Microvascular endothelial function may be evaluated in the retina by flicker light stimulus, in the finger by tonometric approaches, or in the cutaneous or sublingual tissues by laser Doppler flowmetry or intravital microscopy. The main limitation of these techniques is the lack of robust evidence on their prognostic value, which currently reduces their widespread use in daily clinical practice. Ongoing and future studies will overcome this issue, hopefully moving the noninvasive assessment of the microvascular function and structure from bench to bedside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damiano Rizzoni
- Clinica Medica, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Italy (D.R., C.A., C.D.C.).,Division of Medicine, Spedali Civili di Brescia, Montichiari (Brescia), Italy (D.R.)
| | - Alessandro Mengozzi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy (A.M., S.M., A.V.).,Institute of Life Science, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy (A.M.)
| | - Stefano Masi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy (A.M., S.M., A.V.).,Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, United Kingdom (S.M.)
| | - Claudia Agabiti Rosei
- Clinica Medica, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Italy (D.R., C.A., C.D.C.)
| | - Carolina De Ciuceis
- Clinica Medica, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Italy (D.R., C.A., C.D.C.)
| | - Agostino Virdis
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy (A.M., S.M., A.V.)
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