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

ABSTRACT

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 hyperaemia [endothelium-dependent dilation] and after sublingual glyceryl trinitrate [GTN] application [endothelium-independent dilation] were measured. The percentage increase of brachial artery diameter after reactive hyperemia [flow-mediated diltation% 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 glyceryl trinitrate [glyceryl trinitrate-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