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Ultrasound Assessment of Flow-Mediated Dilation of the Brachial and Superficial Femoral Arteries in Rats
Published on: November 3, 2016
Brachial arterial flow mediated dilation in acute ischemic stroke
D Santos-García1, M Blanco, J Serena
1Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico Universitario, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. diegosangar@yahoo.es
European Journal of Neurology
|February 25, 2009
Summary
Reduced brachial arterial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in acute ischemic stroke patients indicates endothelial dysfunction and predicts a poor outcome. This finding highlights FMD as a potential prognostic marker for stroke recovery.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Biology
- Neurology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Brachial arterial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) assesses endothelium-dependent vasodilation.
- Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is characterized by diminished FMD.
- ED is prevalent in patients experiencing acute ischemic stroke.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between FMD and clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
- To determine if FMD can serve as a predictor of poor outcome post-stroke.
Main Methods:
- FMD was measured using high-resolution ultrasonography in 120 acute ischemic stroke patients within 48 hours of symptom onset.
- FMD was calculated based on brachial artery diameter changes after reactive hyperemia induced by vascular occlusion.
- Poor outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score >2 at 3 months; ED was defined as FMD ≤ 4.5%.
Main Results:
- Twenty-seven point five percent of patients exhibited endothelial dysfunction (ED).
- Lower median FMD was observed in patients with poor outcomes compared to those with good outcomes (P = 0.003).
- An FMD ≤ 4.5% was independently associated with a 3.03-fold increased odds of poor outcome (95% CI, 1.09-27.3).
Conclusions:
- Impaired brachial arterial flow-mediated dilation is significantly associated with poor outcomes in patients following an acute ischemic stroke.
- FMD measurement may offer valuable prognostic information for stroke patients.
- Targeting endothelial function could be a potential therapeutic strategy for improving stroke recovery.
