Dyslipidemias ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiopathology ; Humans

Vascular endothelium plays an important role in regulating vascular homeostasis. Over the past years, it has become clear that endothelial dysfunction is a key event of pathophysiological changes in the initiation and progression of injuries induced by extreme environmental factors. The present review summarizes current understanding of vascular endothelial dysfunction induced by hypoxia, cold and heat, and provides the information for prevention and treatment of environmental exposure injuries.
Endothelium, Vascular ; physiopathology ; Environment ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Temperature ; Vascular System Injuries

Endothelial function plays a very important role in the process of erection. Erectile dysfunction (ED) and coronary artery disease (CAD) overlap in risk factors, aetiology and clinical outcomes. Endothelial dysfunction is considered to be their shared aetiological factor. There is growing evidence that patients presenting with ED should be investigated for CAD, even if with no symptoms of the problem. Earlier diagnosis of ED can facilitate prompt intervention, reduce long-term complications, especially the risk of CAD, and provide effective treatment for ED.
Arteriosclerosis ; physiopathology ; Coronary Artery Disease ; physiopathology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiology ; physiopathology ; Erectile Dysfunction ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Penis ; blood supply ; physiopathology

Endothelium, Vascular ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; physiopathology ; Lung ; blood supply ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Mesoderm ; pathology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo determine whether smoking affects the endothelial function of young ED patients with no cardiovascular disease.

METHODSThis study included 69 ED patients (21 smokers and 48 non-smokers) and 16 age-matched normal healthy controls. All underwent measurement of brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and examinations of blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose.

RESULTSBrachial artery FMD was remarkably decreased in the ED patients, even more significantly in the smokers ([6.0 +/- 0.8]%) than in the non-smokers ([9.7 +/- 2.5]%) (P < 0.05), as compared with that in the normal healthy controls ([14.0 +/- 2. 5]%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEndothelial function is impaired in ED patients, and is further damaged by smoking.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiopathology ; Erectile Dysfunction ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Impotence, Vasculogenic ; physiopathology ; Male ; Smoking ; Vasodilation

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the late endothelial function in children with coronary aneurysm due to Kawasaki disease (KD).

METHODSThirty-one children with coronary aneurysms due to KD who had the disease course for more than 1 year and twenty-one age-matched healthy children were enrolled. Brachial artery endothelium-dependent and -independent flow-mediated dilation (FMD), carotid arterial stiffness index (SI) and intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured by high-frequency ultrasound.

RESULTSThere were 9 cases of medium and 22 cases of giant coronary aneurysms in the KD group. Twelve KD patients had evidence of myocardial ischemia. Compared to the normal controls, the endothelium-dependent FMD decreased (P<0.05), the carotid arterial SI increased (P<0.05), and the carotid arterial intima-media thickness increased significantly (P<0.05) in children with coronary aneurysms due to KD. The endothelium-dependent FMD decreased more significantly in 12 KD patients with myocardial ischemia than in those without any evidence of myocardial ischemia (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLate endothelial dysfunction exists in children with coronary aneurysms due to KD, especially in those with myocardial ischemia.

Adolescent ; Child ; Coronary Aneurysm ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; complications ; physiopathology ; Vasodilation

The incidence and mortality rates of diabetes with cardiovascular complications are continually rising, and diabetic cardiovascular disease is becoming a major public health issue that threatens human health. Acute endothelial dysfunction and chronic cellular damage caused by diabetes are important risk factors for diabetic cardiovascular disease and related mortality. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived molecule with significant cytoprotective effects, including the protection against diabetes-induced vascular endothelial injury. Here we review the mechanisms of adiponectin protective effects on acute vascular endothelial dysfunction and chronic structural damage induced by diabetes.
Adiponectin ; physiology ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; complications ; Diabetes Mellitus ; pathology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiopathology ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impacts of metabolic syndrome (MS) on endothelial function and target organ damage in hypertensive patients.

METHODSPatients with essential hypertension (EH) were divided into two groups: hypertension and metabolic syndrome (EH + MS, n = 61), hypertension without metabolic syndrome (EH + nonMS, n = 95) and 31 healthy subjects served as normal control (NC). The change of brachial artery vascular diameter, blood flow volume and vascular resistance after reactive hyperemia were measured by color Doppler ultrasonography.

RESULTS(1) Triglyceride (TG), fasting blood glucose (FBG), body mass index (BMI) were higher in EH + MS group than that in EH + nonMS group (P < 0.05). (2) Endothelium-dependent Dilatation (FMD%) and rate of flow volume of reactive hyperemia were significantly lower in EH + MS group than that in EH + nonMS and NC group [(7.08 +/- 3.21)% vs. (8.18 +/- 1.74)% and (10.41 +/- 4.52)%, P < 0.05 and 0.01 respectively; (154.19 +/- 78.94)% vs. (196.44 +/- 64.22)% and (221.81 +/- 89.64)%, P < 0.05 and 0.01 respectively], while these parameters were similar between EH + nonMS and NC groups (P > 0.05). (3) The high sequence of forearm dilatation capability was also significantly reduced in EH + MS group compared to other groups. (4) The incidences of carotid atherosclerotic plaque and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) were significantly increased in EH + MS group compared to EH + nonMS group and NC group. (5) FMD was correlated with age, gender, smoking, SBP, DBP, TG, Fib respectively (P < 0.05). Intima-media thickness (IMT) of carotid artery was positively related with age, smoking, SBP, DBP, BMI, TG, Fib respectively. The left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was positively related with age, smoking, SBP, DBP, BMI, TG respectively. FMD was negatively related with IMT and LVMI respectively (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMetabolic syndrome further aggravated endothelial dysfunction and target organ damage in patients with essential hypertension.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; physiopathology ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; etiology ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; complications ; physiopathology ; Middle Aged ; Vascular Resistance

To establish and observe rabbit hyperlipemia and atherosclerosis model, we combined the method of high-lipid diet and immuoreactive injure. We divided 45 New Zealand rabbit into control group and high-lipid group. According to the time (4, 8, 12 weeks) of established model, the control group and high-lipid group were divided into 3 groups respectively. The blood-lipid, the hemodynamics parameter and vascular intima were determined and observed. The results showed: (1) After feeding 4, 8, 12 weeks, TC and LDL-C of the high-lipid group in the serum increased obviously. After feeding 8 week, TG of the high-lipid group began to increase obviously. HDL-C of the high-lipid group was higher than control group, but with a descendent trend. (2) Blood viscosity of the high-lipid group increased obviously under the 0.512 S(-1) and 5.96 S(-1) at 12 week. Blood flow increased obviously at 8 and 12 week. SBP increased evidently at 8 and 12 week. Alteration of the plasma viscosity and vascular diameter were not obvious. (3) By observing with optical microscope the intima of the control group is smooth. The intima of the high-lipid group has a light incrassation at 4 week. The intima of the high-lipid group has a obvious incrassation at 8 and 12 week. By observing with through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the lipid vacuole is under the endothelium cell. (4) By adopting the immunohistochemistry, the foam cell that derived from smooth muscle cell were determined. We concluded that the blood lipid can have a prefigurative role in atherosclerosis; blood flow and blood pressure and blood viscosity increase at low shear rate in the course of the atherosclerosis; vascular intima is incrassate and the composition of the AS plaque is variational continually.
Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; pathology ; Hemodynamics ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Rabbits

Hypertension is one of the common cardiovascular diseases, and the role of endothelial dysfunction in pathogenesis and development of hypertension was paid more and more attention to increasingly. The laboratory and clinical studies on the improvement of vascular endothelial function by Chinese herbal medicine in hypertensive patients were reviewed in this paper.
Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endothelium, Vascular ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology