Pilot Study of the Noninvasive Assessment of Endothelial Dysfunction by Post-occlusion Dopplerometry Velocity Curves Analysis in Arteria Brachialis

Overview

Background.
Anew method of noninvasive assessment of endothelial dysfunction was used in this pilot study. Study has been set on a. brachialis dopplerometry velocity curves analysis. Index of blood stream deceleration between the first and second minute of the postocclusion periode was measured on a. brachialis after transient mechanical occlusion of the forearm – so called Deceleration Index. 

Methods and Results.
Eighteen patients with so far untreated hypercholesterolemia were involved in our study. Profile of velocity curves became significantly different after six months of fluvastatin therapy, Deceleration Index increased from 3 % to more than 7 % (p<0.05). That correlated with LDL-CH levels decrease, but also with the significant decrease of biochemical markers of endothelial dysfunction (trombomodulin, von Willebrand factor). 

Conclusions.
The result is corresponding with previously published studies that have proved endothelial function improvement after statin therapy using another ultrasonographic methods. 

Key words:
endothelium, dysfunction, deceleration index, dopplerometry, fluvastatin.