The area under curve for time-course analysis parameters is associated with abdominal aortic aneurysms and the severity of peripheral artery disease in men

Background

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and peripheral artery disease (PAD) are associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction. To date, flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD) and nitroglycerin-mediated vasodilatation (NMD) have been used to evaluate vascular function. Recently, parameters of time-course analysis have been proposed as useful evaluations for arteriosclerotic diseases. In this study, the correlation between the parameters of time-course analysis, to the degree of vascular endothelial damage in AAA and PAD, together with their applicability as a vascular function test, was investigated.

Methods

Brachial artery vasoreactivity was assessed in male patients with AAA (n = 150) and PAD (n = 50). The percentage change in peak diameters (ΔFMD and ΔNMD), the time to diameter change, the time to peak diameter from the diameter change, the blood flow decay time constant, the area under the curve (AUC), the maximum dilation rate and the extended time constant were measured.

Results

Among the groups of aneurysm diameter in AAA, the FMD-AUC was highly different (p = .01), while the ΔFMD was not significantly different (p = .36). Among the Fontaine stages in PAD, the FMD-AUC was inversely associated with severity (p = .01) although the ΔFMD was not significantly different (p = .71). Among the Fontaine stages, the NMD-AUC was also inversely associated with severity (p = .03) although the ΔNMD was not significantly different (p = .11).

Conclusion

This study suggests that FMD-AUC and NMD-AUC are useful for estimating vascular endothelial and vascular smooth muscle dysfunction, serving as supplementary markers for the diagnosis and evaluation of PAD and AAA.

Increased nitroglycerin-mediated vasodilation in migraineurs without aura in the interictal period

PURPOSE

Migraine is associated with vascular disorders, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. Nitric oxide (NO) sensitivity is believed to play a major role in migraine pathophysiology. We investigated flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD) and nitroglycerin-mediated vasodilatation (NMD) of the brachial artery by means of a key molecular mediator, NO, in patients with migraine without aura in the interictal period whether the abnormality is found.

METHODS

A total of 12 patients with migraine without aura and 12 matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. FMD and NMD were measured in all patients and controls using brachial artery ultrasonography.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in brachial artery diameter between migraineurs and nonmigraineurs (3.39 ± 0.68 vs 3.89 ± 0.67 mm, respectively; p = 0.083). A significant difference in FMD was not found between migraineurs and nonmigraineurs (6.94 ± 5.72 vs 6.08 ± 2.98%, respectively; p = 0.651). However, NMD in migraineurs was significant higher than that in nonmigraineurs (21.56 ± 7.36 vs 14.23 ± 7.41%, respectively; p = 0.024).

CONCLUSION

We think that patients with migraine without aura in the interictal period have selective sensitivity in dilator response to nitroglycerin and may have systemic NO sensitivity.