Endothelial dysfunction, believed to underlie the structural changes of atherosclerosis, is a systemic phenomenon. Despite this, the radial artery has been considered as devoid of atherosclerosis and is commonly used as a conduit in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Recently, histological study has shown intimal hyperplasia and other structural changes consistent with early atherosclerosis in the radial artery. The objective of the present study was to determine if structural changes in the radial artery could be detected invivo in patients with coronary atherosclerosis. Using high resolution echo-tracking, measurements of radial artery internal diameter, wall thickness and wall cross-sectional area were made in 25 patients awaiting CABG and in 20 controls. Digital and brachial blood pressures were also recorded. Mean arterial pressures did not differ between the patient and control groups. All measures of wall thickness were greater in the patient than the control group. Neither current arterial pressures nor past history of hypertension correlated with wall thickness. Using a model of analysis of covariance, coronary artery disease was the best single predictor of intima-media thickness, R2 = 48%, n = 44, P< 0.0005. We concluded that increased radial artery wall thickness can be demonstrated invivo in patients with coronary atherosclerosis. This is a novel observation which seems to be independent of blood pressure, and is consistent both with the hypothesis of systemic endothelial dysfunction leading to systemic structural changes and also to the recent histological evidence for atherosclerotic changes in this vessel.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
April 03 2001
Radial artery hypertrophy occurs in coronary atherosclerosis and is independent of blood pressure
Alison J. MACKAY;
*Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Gardiner Institute, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, Scotland, U.K.
Correspondence: Dr A. J. Mackay (e-mail [email protected]).
Search for other works by this author on:
Carlene A. HAMILTON;
Carlene A. HAMILTON
*Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Gardiner Institute, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, Scotland, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Kenneth McARTHUR;
Kenneth McARTHUR
†Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, Scotland, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Geoffrey BERG;
Geoffrey BERG
†Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, Scotland, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Anne-Isabelle TROPEANO;
Anne-Isabelle TROPEANO
‡Service Cardiovasculaire, Hôpital Broussais, 96 rue Didot, F-75674 Paris cedex 14, France
Search for other works by this author on:
Pierre BOUTOUYRIE;
Pierre BOUTOUYRIE
‡Service Cardiovasculaire, Hôpital Broussais, 96 rue Didot, F-75674 Paris cedex 14, France
Search for other works by this author on:
John L. REID;
John L. REID
*Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Gardiner Institute, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, Scotland, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Anna F. DOMINICZAK
Anna F. DOMINICZAK
*Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Gardiner Institute, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, Scotland, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
September 19 2000
Revision Received:
December 14 2000
Accepted:
January 26 2001
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society and the Medical Research Society © 2001
2001
Clin Sci (Lond) (2001) 100 (5): 509–516.
Article history
Received:
September 19 2000
Revision Received:
December 14 2000
Accepted:
January 26 2001
Citation
Alison J. MACKAY, Carlene A. HAMILTON, Kenneth McARTHUR, Geoffrey BERG, Anne-Isabelle TROPEANO, Pierre BOUTOUYRIE, John L. REID, Anna F. DOMINICZAK; Radial artery hypertrophy occurs in coronary atherosclerosis and is independent of blood pressure. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 May 2001; 100 (5): 509–516. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/cs1000509
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Biochemical Society Member Sign in
Sign InSign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionGet Access To This Article
Cited By
Open Access for all
We offer compliant routes for all authors from 2025. With library support, there will be no author nor reader charges in 5 journals. Check here |
![]() |