13.04 Lack of Endothelial Dysfunction in Buerger’s Disease

Abstract

Objective

To compare the acute flow-dependent vasodilatation (FDV) to a hand warming test (from 28ºC to 44ºC) and endothelium-independent vasodilatation (EIV) to sublingual glyceryl trinitrate (GTN 150 µg) of the brachial artery (BA) in 10 patients with an acute-phase Buerger disease, defined by an ADAR score ⩾4 and a recent ulcer of the lower limbs (7 current), and 10 age- and sex-matched non-smokers healthy subjects.

Methods

BA diameter and shear stress were recorded by high definition echotracking. FDV was estimated by the slope of diameter-shear stress relationship.

Results

See the table.

Table 1

Buerger’s patients had an enhanced flow-dependent response to the increase in shear stress due to hand warming by comparison with controls as shown by the higher slope of diameter-shear stress relationship.

Conclusions

Acute flow-mediated changes in brachial artery diameter during hand hyperhemia and EIV to GTN were not impaired in patients compared to control, by contrast to what has been repeatedly suggested in the literature.