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Updated: Mar 15, 2026
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A Methodological Approach to Non-invasive Assessments of Vascular Function and Morphology
Published on: February 7, 2015
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Vascular function assessed by passive leg movement and flow-mediated dilation: initial evidence of construct validity
Matthew J Rossman1,2, H Jonathan Groot1,2, Ryan S Garten1
1Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, George E. Whalen Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah.
American Journal of Physiology. Heart and Circulatory Physiology
|September 18, 2016
Summary
Passive leg movement (PLM) shows promise as a noninvasive vascular health assessment. Upright PLM correlates well with traditional flow-mediated dilation (FMD), suggesting its clinical utility.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Physiology
- Noninvasive Cardiovascular Assessment
- Aging and Vascular Function
Background:
- Passive leg movement (PLM) is a novel method for assessing vascular function.
- Comparison with established flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is needed to validate PLM.
- Understanding age-related differences in vascular responses is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the construct validity of PLM by comparing it with FMD.
- To assess PLM in both young and older adults.
- To determine the relationship between PLM and FMD in brachial and superficial femoral arteries.
Main Methods:
- Conducted upright seated and supine PLM tests in 10 young and 30 older adults.
- Measured brachial artery (BA) and superficial femoral artery (SFA) flow-mediated dilation (FMD).
- Analyzed correlations between PLM-derived leg blood flow (ΔLBF) and leg vascular conductance (ΔLVC) with FMD measurements.
Main Results:
- Upright seated PLM showed significant correlations with both BA and SFA FMD.
- Supine PLM also correlated with BA and SFA FMD, though less strongly.
- Significant correlations between upright PLM and BA FMD persisted in both young and older adults.
Conclusions:
- Upright seated PLM serves as a valid noninvasive index of vascular health, comparable to FMD.
- The ease of implementation suggests PLM's potential as a clinical tool for vascular health assessment.
- Nitric oxide (NO) likely plays a role in the observed associations between PLM and FMD.
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