Postprandial vascular reactivity in obese and normal weight young adults. Itamar Medical Ltd. Latest PAT Publications July 2011 Newsletter 9 Newsletter 9 Newsletter 9 Compared vascular reactivity after a high-fat meal in 11 obese (median BMI 46.4, age 32.1 ±6.3 years, 7 men) and 11 normal weight (median BMI 22.6) age- and sex-matched controls. Physiological parameters and blood chemistry were measured at baseline and 1 and 3 h postmeal. Results: At baseline, obese subjects had higher systolic BP, HR, resting FBF, insulin and equivalent FMD, EndoPAT index, hyperemic FBF, AIx75, PWV(b), glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and lower HDL cholesterol. FMD at baseline and 3 h was not significantly different between groups, nor did the meal produce significant changes in EndoPAT index, hyperemic FBF, and PWV(b) in either group. Conclusions: Vascular responses to a high-fat meal are similar in obese and normal weight young adults, and thus unlikely to contribute importantly to the increased cardiovascular risk of obesity. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19834470 Ayer JG, Harmer JA, Steinbeck K, Celermajer DS. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2010 May;18(5):945-51. Tested endothelial NO bioavailability, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), endothelial-active cytokines and EndoPAT index correlations with ang-2 concentrations in sepsis, (n = 83 early sepsis vs. 41 hospital controls). Results: Plasma Ang-2 increased with sepsis severity (P < 0.0001), and correlated inversely with EndoPAT index (r = -0.38, P < 0.0001), positively with IL-6 (r = 0.57, P < 0.0001) and degree of organ failure (r = 0.58, P < 0.0001). Longitudinal recovery of EndoPAT index was associated with decline in ang-2. Conclusions: Ang-2 is proportional to sepsis severity, and inversely correlated to EndoPAT index. Impaired NO bioavailability may contribute to increased release of ang-2, endothelial activation and capillary leakage. Agents increasing NO bioavailability may have therapeutic potential in sepsis. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20482750 Davis JS, Yeo TW, Piera KA, Woodberry T, Celermajer DS, Stephens DP, Anstey N M . Crit Care. 2010;14(3):R89. Angiopoietin-2 is increased in sepsis and inversely associated with nitric oxide-dependent microvascular reactivity. Assessed Plasma concentrations of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), L-arginine concentrations and Endothelial function (EndoPAT2000) (98 patients, 67 with acute sepsis, and 31 controls). Results: Baseline plasma L-arginine: ADMA ratio was significantly lower in sepsis (median [IQR] 63 [45-103]) than controls (143 [123- 166], p<0.0001) and correlated with EndoPAT index (r = 0.34, p = 0.02). Increase in ADMA correlated with increase in organ failure and decrease in EndoPAT index. Conclusions: Impaired endothelial and microvascular function due to decreased endothelial NO bioavailability is a potential mechanism linking increased plasma ADMA to organ failure and death in sepsis. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21364995 Asymmetric dimethylarginine, endothelial nitric oxide bioavailability and mortality in sepsis. Davis JS, Darcy CJ, Yeo TW, Jones C, M cNeil YR, Stephens DP, Celermajer DS, Anstey NM . PLoS One. 2011 Feb 18;6(2):e17260. Comparing EndoPAT and BIOPAC measurement of vascular responses to mental stress. Compared stress-induced changes in vascular function during acute mental stress tests using the EndoPAT2000, to a standard polygraph device (BIOPAC MP150), in 25 healthy subjects. Reactive hyperemia was compared at baseline and following three acute mental stress tests using both methods. Results: There was no difference in vascular hyperemic reactivity at baseline and following acute mental stress, as measured by both systems (P > 0.05), however, mental stress ratios measured by EndoPAT were significantly different than those measured by BIOPAC (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Data suggest that EndoPAT measurements of vascular responses to acute mental stress may be more specific and sensitive than measurements using the BIOPAC system. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21671245 Martin EA, Nelson RE, Felmlee-Devine MD, Brown TE, Lerman A. Cell Biochem Funct. 2011 Jun;29(4):272-8.