Local coronary endothelial dysfunction varies with the extent of coronary disease: a 3 T MRI study
Year: 2009
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Endothelial-dependent coronary artery vasoreactivity is an important indicator of vascular function and predicts cardiovascular events [ 1 ]. Non-invasive measures of endothelial dysfunction are typically obtained in the brachial arteries, which are exposed to systemic risk factors but which rarely develop severe atherosclerosis or plaque rupture. Endothelial injury plays a critical, causal role in the development and progression of local atherosclerosis, a regionally heterogeneous process in the coronary arteries. We therefore posit that local endothelial function varies throughout the coronary tree in patients with disease and may contribute to local atherosclerosis. By means of previously described non-invasive 3 T MRI methods combined with isometric handgrip to assess endothelial-dependent coronary vasoreactivity [ 2 ], we therefore sought to test the hypothesis that local endothelial function varies within the coronary vasculature and is more deranged in regions with significant coronary atherosclerosis than in those with mild disease.
Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Language: English
Subfield: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,000
OpenAlex ID: W2030528063