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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
08:42
Ultrasound Assessment of Endothelial-Dependent Flow-Mediated Vasodilation of the Brachial Artery in Clinical Research
Published on: October 22, 2014
Heritability of flow-mediated dilation: a twin study.
1Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1256 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30306, USA.
Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis : JTH
|September 13, 2007
Summary
Genetic factors moderately influence brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a marker for cardiovascular disease. Individual-specific environmental factors also play a significant role in FMD variability.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Genetics
- Vascular Biology
- Twin Studies
Background:
- Endothelial dysfunction, measured by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), is an early indicator of atherosclerotic vascular disease.
- FMD is associated with future cardiovascular events, highlighting its clinical significance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the heritability of brachial artery FMD.
- To elucidate the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to FMD variation using a twin design.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 94 middle-aged male twin pairs was studied.
- Brachial artery FMD was assessed using ultrasound.
- Genetic modeling techniques, including structural equation modeling, were employed to analyze FMD heritability and environmental influences, adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
Main Results:
- Monozygotic (MZ) twins exhibited higher FMD intraclass correlation coefficients than dizygotic (DZ) twins, suggesting genetic influence.
- Heritability estimates for FMD were moderate, around 37-39%, even after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors.
- Unique environmental factors were found to significantly contribute to the remaining variation in FMD.
Conclusions:
- This twin study provides the first estimates of genetic and environmental contributions to FMD variation in a US population.
- A moderate genetic effect on brachial artery FMD was identified, independent of traditional coronary risk factors.
- The findings underscore the substantial impact of unique environmental influences on FMD variability.
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