Indirect assessment of endothelial function in patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus

Abstract EN

Thirty eight participants (27 men, 11 women) with age between 40-60 years were divided into 3 groups.

Group I: Includes 13 healthy subjects.

Group II: Includes 13 patients with essential hypertension. Group III: Includes 12 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Using high-resolution ultrasound, brachial artery diameters at rest, during reactive hyperemia endothelium-dependent dilation and after sublingual glycerol triturate (GTN) application (endothelium independent dilation) were measured.

The percentage increase of brachial artery diameter after reactive hyperemia (flow-mediated dilatation % or FMD %) in control subjects was 8.85 ± 0.25% while it was found to decrease significantly (P<0.0001) in hypertensive and diabetic patients by 60% and 67% respectively.

Furthermore, the percentage increase of the brachial artery diameter after glycerol triturate (glycerol triturate-induced dilatation% or GTNID %) in control healthy subjects was 14.41 ± 0.81%.

The GTNID% was found to decrease significantly (P < 0.006) by 25% in hypertensive patients.

No significant GTNID% change was found in diabetic patients.

The antioxidant-oxidant ratio index (RI) of the measured biochemical parameters was significantly lower in hypertensive patients (by 50%) and even lower in diabetic patients (by 84%) The antioxidant oxidant RI was found to be significantly and positively correlated with FMD% and GTNID% in diabetic patients only.