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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Ultrasound Assessment of Endothelial-Dependent Flow-Mediated Vasodilation of the Brachial Artery in Clinical Research
08:42

Ultrasound Assessment of Endothelial-Dependent Flow-Mediated Vasodilation of the Brachial Artery in Clinical Research

Published on: October 22, 2014

Vascular dysfunction of brachial artery after transradial access for coronary catheterization: impact of smoking and

Christian Heiss1, Jan Balzer, Till Hauffe

  • 1Medizinische Klinik B, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.

JACC. Cardiovascular Interventions
|November 21, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Transradial catheterization impairs vascular function in both the radial artery and upstream brachial artery. This effect is more pronounced and lasting in smokers and with increased catheter use.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular medicine
  • Interventional cardiology
  • Vascular biology

Background:

  • Transradial access is a common alternative to transfemoral cardiac catheterization.
  • Potential risk of sustained radial artery damage exists with transradial approach.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of diagnostic transradial catheterization on the vascular function of the upstream brachial artery.
  • To assess changes in endothelium-dependent, flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) post-procedure.

Main Methods:

  • 30 patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography via transradial access were studied.
  • Flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) of the radial artery and brachial artery was measured pre-procedure and at 6 and 24 hours post-procedure.
  • The contralateral radial artery served as a control to rule out systemic effects.

Main Results:

  • Transradial catheterization significantly reduced FMD in both the radial artery and brachial artery at 6 hours post-procedure.
  • Smokers exhibited significantly lower FMD at 6 hours, with impairment persisting at 24 hours, unlike non-smokers.
  • Brachial artery FMD reduction was correlated with the number of catheters used, showing more severe dysfunction with 4-5 catheters.

Conclusions:

  • Transradial catheterization causes dysfunction in both the radial artery and the upstream brachial artery.
  • Vascular dysfunction is more severe and sustained in active smokers.
  • Increased numbers of catheters used during the procedure exacerbate brachial artery dysfunction.
Abstract

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