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Peripheral vascular endothelial function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Kevin S Heffernan1, Craig A Napolitano, Martin S Maron
1The Vascular Function Study Group, The Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
The American Journal of Cardiology
|January 28, 2010
Summary
Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) exhibit impaired peripheral vascular endothelial function. This systemic vasomotor dysfunction is similar to that observed in patients with advanced coronary artery disease (CAD).
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Vascular Biology
- Cardiovascular Disease
Background:
- Coronary microvascular dysfunction is prevalent in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) and predicts adverse outcomes.
- It remains unclear if this vasomotor dysfunction is systemic or localized to the coronary arteries in HC patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate peripheral vascular endothelial function in patients with HC.
- To determine if HC is associated with systemic vasomotor dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Assessed conduit artery endothelium-dependent vasomotion using ultrasound.
- Measured flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery.
- Included patients with HC, healthy controls, and patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
Main Results:
- Flow-mediated dilation was significantly lower in HC patients compared to controls (p < 0.05).
- Brachial artery FMD in HC patients was similar to that of patients with advanced CAD (p = NS).
Conclusions:
- Vasomotor dysfunction in HC extends beyond the coronary vasculature.
- HC patients exhibit impaired peripheral conduit vessel endothelial function.
- The degree of peripheral endothelial dysfunction in HC is comparable to that in advanced CAD.
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