Impact of blood pressure cuff inflation rates on flow-mediated dilatation and contralateral arm response

Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) is widely used as an index of nitric oxide-mediated vasodilator function, yet its methodology has not been well established. Previous research indicates that a rapid inflation of a blood pressure cuff evokes systemic vasoconstriction, as it was observed even on non-occluded contralateral arm. This would potentially contribute to the variability of FMD readings and complicate the emerging evidence that non-occluded contralateral arm fingertip temperature responses during the FMD procedure may be an indicator of the presence of coronary artery disease. To test the hypotheses that rapid inflation of a blood pressure cuff could reduce FMD values and influence contralateral vasodilatory states, 33 apparently healthy adults (18 males and 15 females, 29±6 years) were studied in two randomized FMD trials. The blood flow-occluding cuff was inflated rapidly (<1 s) in one trial or slowly over 10 s in the other trial. Arterial diameter, fingertip temperature and infrared thermography were obtained throughout each session. FMD values were not different between the rapid and slow cuff inflation trials (5.9±0.6 vs 5.9±0.4%). There were no differences in reactive hyperaemia (6.4±1.6 vs 6.2±1.7 AU), shear stress (80±20 vs 77±17 dyn cm(-2)) and fingertip temperature rebound (TR; 1.8±1.2 vs 1.9±1.0 °C) between the rapid and slow inflation. Changes in finger temperature on the contralateral (non-occluded) arm were positively associated with those on the occluded arm (r=0.26 to 0.61, P<0.05). We concluded that rates of inflating a blood pressure cuff do not affect FMD and TR response, and that neurovascular-induced vasodilatation of the contralateral arm was not observed regardless of cuff inflation rates.