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Updated: Apr 16, 2026
Assessing Endothelial Vasodilator Function with the Endo-PAT 2000
Published on: October 15, 2010
Exercise-induced vasodilation in healthy males: A marker of reduced endothelial function
Torgeir Wethal1, Ragnhild Røysland, Omland Torbjørn
1Institute of Clinical Medicine , University of Oslo , Norway.
Objectives:
Reduced arterial vasodilatatory capacity is a marker of coronary heart disease. The aim was to investigate if the difference between the vasodilatory response before and after exercise, as assessed by non-invasive methodology, is related to endothelial and inflammatory biomarkers.
Design:
Post-ischemic hyperemia after 5 min of arterial occlusion was examined before and after a bicycle test with strain-gauge plethysmography (measuring peak reactive hyperemia in the forearm) and peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT hyperemia ratio: measuring pulse waves in the index finger relative to the contra-lateral index finger) in 30 healthy males. A low PAT hyperemia ratio or a low peak reactive hyperemia reflects endothelial dysfunction. Inflammatory and endothelial biomarkers were assessed.
Results:
A low peak reactive hyperemia and a low PAT hyperemia ratio before the bicycle test was associated with a high percentage increase in peak reactive hyperemia after exercise (r = - 0.68, p < 0.001; r = - 0.35, p = 0.06, respectively). Asymmetric dimethylarginine and interleukin-10 were associated with the percentage increase in peak reactive hyperemia in multiple linear regression analyses (β: 165 (confidence interval [CI], 34-296), p = 0.02; β: 19 (CI, - 0.5-39), p = 0.06, respectively).
Conclusions:
The difference in the vasodilatory response before and after exercise, as assessed by non-invasive methodology, is related to endothelial and inflammatory biomarkers in healthy males.
