Racial disparity in microvascular function among non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black men with newly diagnosed...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Science
• Oncology
• Health Disparities Research

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a primary cause of death in men with prostate cancer (PC).
• Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) men with PC face higher CVD mortality than non-Hispanic White (NHW) men.
• Racial disparities in CVD mechanisms among PC patients are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate racial differences in vascular health between NHB and NHW men diagnosed with PC.
• To test the hypothesis that NHB men with PC exhibit poorer vascular health compared to NHW men.

Main Methods:

• Vascular function assessment in 34 men (22 NHB, 12 NHW) with PC.
• Evaluated arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, augmentation index), conduit-vessel endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation), and microvascular function (post-occlusive reactive hyperemia, local thermal heating, acetylcholine iontophoresis).
• Assessed clinical laboratory values, senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and allostatic load.

Main Results:

• NHB men showed significantly impaired microvascular function (lower post-occlusive reactive hyperemia, local thermal heating, and acetylcholine responses).
• Arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, augmentation index) and conduit-vessel endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation) were similar between racial groups.
• No significant differences were observed in age, body mass index, laboratory values, allostatic load, or SASP between NHW and NHB men.

Conclusions:

• NHB men with PC exhibit impaired microvascular function compared to NHW men.
• These findings suggest vascular bed-specific dysfunction, particularly in microvasculature, contributes to racial disparities in CVD risk after PC diagnosis.
• Targeting microvascular health may be crucial for reducing CVD disparities in PC patients.