Microvascular structure as a prognostically relevant endpoint

Remodelling of subcutaneous small resistance arteries, as indicated by an increased media-to-lumen ratio, is frequently present in hypertensive, obese, or diabetic patients. The increased media-to-lumen ratio may impair organ flow reserve. This may be important in the maintenance and, probably, also in the progressive worsening of hypertensive disease. The presence of structural alterations represents a prognostically relevant factor, in terms of development of target organ damage or cardiovascular events, thus allowing us a prediction of complications in hypertension. In fact, media-to-lumen ratio of small arteries at baseline, and possibly their changes during treatment may have a strong prognostic significance. However, new, non-invasive techniques are needed before suggesting extensive application of the evaluation of remodelling of small arteries for the cardiovascular risk stratification in hypertensive patients. Some new techniques for the evaluation of microvascular morphology in the retina, currently under clinical investigation, seem to represent a promising and interesting future perspective. The evaluation of microvascular structure is progressively moving from bench to bedside, and it could represent, in the near future, an evaluation to be performed in all hypertensive patients, to obtain a better stratification of cardiovascular risk, and, possibly, it might be considered as an intermediate endpoint in the evaluation of the effects of antihypertensive therapy, provided that a demonstration of a prognostic value of non-invasive measures of microvascular structure is made available.