Non-Invasive Investigation of Endothelium-Dependent Dilatation of the Brachial Artery in Women with Primary Raynaud's Phenomenon

1998 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Åsa Ringqvist ◽  
Tommy Jonason ◽  
Jerzy Leppert ◽  
Ivar Ringqvist

1. Primary Raynaud's phenomenon is characterized by white fingers and toes with impaired perfusion in response to cold or emotional stress. The aetiology has not been clarified. In previous studies we have demonstrated a season-linked inability in women with primary Raynaud's phenomenon to raise their plasma cGMP levels in response to whole-body cooling, suggesting a dysfunction of the l-arginine—NO—cGMP pathway. To further elucidate the possibility of such a defect in patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon, we determined flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery. 2. Twenty-two premenopausal, non-smoking women with primary Raynaud's phenomenon (mean age 39 ± 8 years) and 23 healthy controls (mean age 41 ± 7 years) were studied during two winter weeks. The diameter of the right arm brachial artery was measured by high resolution ultrasonography, at rest and during reactive hyperaemia. The investigation was conducted both with the participants at rest at room temperature and after 40 min of whole-body cooling. 3. Both study groups showed a marked attenuation of flow-mediated dilatation during whole-body cooling, which could partly but not solely be explained by a decreased shear rate. There was, however, no significant difference in flow-mediated diameter (D) increase (% flow-mediated dilatation; ΔD/D × 100) between primary Raynaud's phenomenon and controls, either at room temperature (7.8 ± 0.8 and 9.0 ± 0.8) or in response to whole-body cooling (3.8 ± 1.2 and 4.4 ± 0.7). 4. Thus, whole-body cooling markedly impairs flow-mediated dilatation in women. Flow-mediated dilatation is, however, not decreased in women with primary Raynaud's phenomenon at room temperature or during whole-body cooling, indicating that this particular aspect of endothelial function is not impaired in this setting.

1997 ◽  
Vol 93 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerzy Leppert ◽  
Åsa Ringqvist ◽  
Johan Ahlner ◽  
Urban Myrdal ◽  
Marie-Louise Walker-Engström ◽  
...  

1. Primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP) is characterized by increased vasoconstrictor tone that develops during exposure to cold. The symptoms are most pronounced during the winter months with low outdoor temperature. The l-arginine—nitric oxide (NO)—cyclic GMP (cGMP) pathway plays an important role in counteracting vasospasm. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the venous cGMP response to whole-body cooling in women with PRP varied with the season of the year. 2. The study was performed as an open parallel-group comparison between women with PRP and healthy female controls during the winter months of February 1994 and 1995 and in the summer month of August 1994. Blood samples were drawn just before and 40 min after whole-body cooling. 3. There were no significant changes in venous cGMP after whole-body cooling in women with PRP during the winter months of February 1994 and 1995. Cold exposure in the summer month of August resulted, however, in a significant increase in venous cGMP (P < 0.01). In contrast, the healthy women responded with a significant increase in venous cGMP on all three test occasions: February 1994 (P < 0.05), August 1994 (P < 0.05) and February 1995 (P < 0.01) 4. A seasonal variation in venous cGMP response to whole-body cooling was observed only in women with PRP. Healthy women responded to cold exposure with an increase in venous cGMP during summer and winter, whereas females with PRP showed an increase only during summer. Results from the present study might indicate seasonal variation in the regulation of constitutive nitric oxide synthetase in women with PRP, which may contribute to new therapeutic approaches.


2003 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. Mavrikakis ◽  
J. P. Lekakis ◽  
M. Papamichael ◽  
K. S. Stamatelopoulos ◽  
Ch. C. Kostopoulos ◽  
...  

Previous studies have shown that patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon secondary to systemic sclerosis present abnormal endothelial function; the mechanisms responsible for the endothelial dysfunction are unknown but increased vascular oxidative stress could be a possible cause. The hypothesis that a potent water-soluble antioxidant can reverse endothelial dysfunction in these patients was tested in the present study. We examined 11 female patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon secondary to systemic sclerosis and ten healthy control women by ultrasound imaging of the brachial artery to assess flow-mediated (endothelium-dependent) and nitrate-induced (endothelium-independent) vasodilatation. Flow-mediated dilatation and nitrate-induced dilatation were significantly reduced in patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon, indicating abnormal endothelial and smooth muscle cell function. Patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon entered a double-blind, randomized, crossover placebo-controlled trial and received orally 2 g of ascorbic acid or placebo; vascular studies were repeated two hours after ascorbic acid or placebo administration. Flow-mediated dilatation did not improve after ascorbic acid (1.6 ± 2.2% to 2.2 ± 2.5%, ns) or placebo administration (1.2 ± 1,9% to 1.7 ± 1.4%, ns); also nitrate-induced dilatation was similar after ascorbic acid or placebo (16 ± 7.4% vs 17 ± 8%, ns), suggesting no effect of ascorbic acid on endothelial and vascular smooth muscle function. In conclusion, ascorbic acid does not reverse endothelial vasomotor dysfunction in the brachial circulation of patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon secondary to systemic sclerosis. The use of different antioxidants or different dosing of ascorbic acid may be required to show a beneficial effect on endothelial vasodilator function.


2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
MUHAMMAD S. SOYFOO ◽  
AHMED GOUBELLA ◽  
ELIE COGAN ◽  
JEAN-CLAUDE WAUTRECHT ◽  
ANNICK OCMANT ◽  
...  

Objective.To describe the clinical findings and prevalence of patients with cryofibrinogenemia (CF) and to determine whether CF is associated with primary Raynaud’s phenomenon.Methods.Between June 2006 and December 2009, 227 patients were tested for CF in a single university hospital. Forty-five patients with primary Raynaud’s phenomenon were tested for CF.Results.A total of 117 patients with CF without cryoglobulinemia were included. The main clinical manifestations included skin manifestations (50%) and arthralgia (35%). There were 67 patients with primary CF and 50 patients with secondary CF. There was no significant difference in the mean concentration of the cryoprecipitate in primary CF as compared to the secondary form (172 ± 18.6 vs 192 ± 20.9 mg/dl, respectively; p = 0.41). Highest concentrations of cryoprecipitate were observed in those containing fibrinogen only as compared to cryoprecipitates containing fibrinogen and fibronectin (301 ± 43.5 vs 125 ± 10.6 mg/dl; p < 0.001). Patients having skin necrosis (n = 3) had significantly higher values of cryofibrinogen compared to those without necrosis (638 ± 105 vs 160 ± 10.2 mg/dl; p = 0.0046). Among the 45 patients with primary Raynaud’s phenomenon, 36 had associated CF. There was no significant difference in the mean concentration of the cryoprecipitate in these patients compared to those with primary CF.Conclusion.There seems to be a significant correlation between cryofibrinogen concentration and the severity of the clinical signs, particularly when cryoprecipitate is composed of fibrinogen alone. CF might have a possible pathophysiological role in primary Raynaud’s phenomenon.


1994 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay D. Coffman ◽  
Richard A. Cohen

1. The involvement of plasma 5-hydroxytryptamine in normal subjects during sympathetic stimulation and in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon was studied. 2. Arterial and venous plasma levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine were measured in normal subjects in a warm room, during reflex sympathetic stimulation by body cooling and during intra-arterial infusions of tyramine. Normal subjects (n = 19) had significantly higher levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine in venous plasma [mean 1.42 (SEM 0.23) ng/ml] than in arterial plasma [0.67 (0.12) ng/ml; P < 0.01]. Body cooling (n = 10) or tyramine infusion (n = 8) did not increase venous levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine despite significant decreases in blood flow and increases in vascular resistance. 3. Venous plasma levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine were also determined in patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon (n = 12) or secondary Raynaud's phenomenon due to scleroderma (n = 11). Patients with primary or secondary Raynaud's phenomenon did not have significantly higher venous plasma levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine than normal subjects, even during vasospastic attacks (n = 3). 4. It is concluded that either 5-hydroxytryptamine is not involved in sympathetic nerve vasoconstriction or in Raynaud's phenomenon, or 5-hydroxytryptamine released in the microcirculation is largely taken up or metabolized by endothelial cells or platelets.


2011 ◽  
Vol 70 ◽  
pp. 722-722
Author(s):  
S Sarkar ◽  
J R Bapuraj ◽  
S M Donn ◽  
I Bhagat ◽  
J D Barks

Author(s):  
Kevin YC Su ◽  
Meghna Sharma ◽  
Hyunjun Jonathan Kim ◽  
Elizabeth Kaganov ◽  
Ian Hughes ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 1637-1642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Pizzorni ◽  
Alberto Sulli ◽  
Vanessa Smith ◽  
Barbara Ruaro ◽  
Amelia Chiara Trombetta ◽  
...  

The Lancet ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 310 (8046) ◽  
pp. 1001-1002 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Jahnsen ◽  
F Skovborg ◽  
S.L Nielsen

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