[Changes of endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent dilatation of brachial arteries in patients with coronary heart disease].

By using high resolution ultrasound, the dilatation changes of brachial arteries during reactive hyperemia and after sublingual administration of glyceryl trinitrate(GTN) were measured in 99 subjects, consisted of 33 controls and 66 patients with established coronary heart disease. The results showed that both flow-mediated dilatation(FMD) and GTN-induced dilatation of brachial arteries in patients with coronary heart disease were significantly reduced as compared with those in control group(2.44% +/- 2.94% vs 8.17% +/- 4.80% and 16.58% +/- 6.26% vs 23.12% +/- 8.88%, respectively, P < 0.01 for all). Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that FMD was positively related to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and inversely related to baseline diameters of brachial arteries, age and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, whereas GTN induced dilatation was positively related to FMD and inversely related to baseline diameters of brachial arteries. The present study suggests that both endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilatation are impaired in patients with coronary heart disease.