Non-invasive Detection of Brachial Artery Flow-mediated Dilatation Function in Smokers

Objective To explore the effect of smoking on endothelium dependent vascular relaxing function.Methods Changes of flow mediated dilatation (FMD) and Nitroglycerin mediated dilatation (NTG MD) of the brachiartery were measured in 30 male non smokers and 50 smokers by high resolution ultrasound technique.Results FMD levels in smoker group were significantly lower than those in non smoker group, but NTG MD levels showed no difference between the two groups.Simple correlation analysis showed that FMD of brachial artery in smokers was negatively related to the smoking index.NO significant correlation was observed,however,between FMD of brachial arteries and age.Meanwhile an obvious negative correlation was also found between IMT and FMD.Conclusion Smoking could induce endothelial dysfunction. With the increase of quantity and duration of smoking,the endothelial dysfunction was more severe in smokers and this dysfunction was closely correlated with Atherosclerosis.