Higher Myocardial and Skeletal Muscle Microvascular Flow in Sickle Cell Disease Patients on Hydroxyurea

Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 1020-1020
Author(s):  
Caterina P. Minniti ◽  
Vandana Sachdev ◽  
Hannoush Hwaida ◽  
Stanislav Sidenko ◽  
Myron A Waclawiw ◽  
...  

Abstract Individuals with SCD have recurrent episodes of ischemia-reperfusion in vital organs, and abnormal microcirculation is considered a major determinant of end organ damage. Hydroxyurea (HU) treatment has been shown to produce ATP- and nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation, and to improve red cells deformability Few tools are available to quantitatively measure microvascular blood flow in vivo. The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of a novel ECHO based imaging modality to assess the effect of hydroxyurea on cardiac and skeletal muscle perfusion in patients with sickle cell anemia. Methods and Results: Twenty-one HBSS/B0 patients, of whom 15 were treated with HU(average daily dose of 18 ± 8 mg/kg/day), underwent brachial artery ultrasound, echocardiography and contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEU) perfusion imaging of deep flexor muscles of the forearm as well as the myocardium at rest and during vasodilator stress with regadenoson ( ClinicalTrials.gov NCT016028090). Quantitative image analysis was performed to obtain microvascular blood volume and flow velocity measurements. Patients on HU had a lower white blood cell count (6.7±2.1 K/uL vs 10.0±2.1 K/uL, p<0.05), higher mean corpuscular volume (103.6±11.5 fL vs 82.5±8.6 fL, p<0.05) , and lower reticulocyte count (9.3±3.4% vs 15.7±5.6%, p<0.05) as well as a trend towards higher hemoglobin (9.4±1.4g/dL vs 7.9±1.1g/dL , p=NS). Table 1. Cardiac output and total myocardial work was not affected by HU treatment and macrovascular flow in the brachial artery was not affected (Figure 1A). In contrast, both skeletal muscle microvascular flow and myocardial microvascular flow was significantly higher in the SCD patients on HU therapy (Figure 1B, 1C). Conclusions: The beneficial effects of HU therapy in SCD are varied, and clinical effects are often seen prior to a rise in fetal hemoglobin. Other effects, such as lower hemolysis, improved red cell deformability, and inhibition of adhesive properties in the microvasculature have been reported. Some of the beneficial effects of HU may be due to stimulation of nitric oxide synthase, induction of cyclic GMP dependent signaling and improved NO bioavailability. Our study indicates that SCD patients on chronic HU therapy have higher levels of myocardial and skeletal muscle microvascular blood flow. Long term studies are necessary to evaluate whether HU reduces end organ damage in SCA. Skeletal muscle and myocardial microvascular blood flow. Each panel shows blood flow in all SCD patients (red filled diamonds), SCD patients not on HU (red open triangles) and SCD patients on HU (red open inverted triangles). Panel A. Skeletal muscle perfusion normalized to hemoglobin (A x β x hemoglobin) Panel B. Myocardial perfusion normalized to hemoglobin level and total myocardial work. Figure 1. Figure 1. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 2705-2705
Author(s):  
Jonathan R. Lindner ◽  
Michael Widlansky ◽  
Melinda D. Wu ◽  
Jillian Dargatz ◽  
Leanne M. Harmann ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Outcome measures for therapeutic studies in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are poor.Abnormal microvascular blood flow (MBF), the basis for tissue ischemia and injury associated with vaso-occlusion, would be an optimal outcome measure for SCD studies. Ideally, a modality to measure blood flow in SCD would non-invasively quantify microvascular tissue perfusion rather than assess conduit arterial flow through large vessels. Limitations of existing techniques to measure blood flow prevent their widespread use in clinical trials of patients with SCD. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEU) is a non-invasive and portable technique that uses standard ultrasound equipment to measure microvascular perfusion and functional capillary patency. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether CEU is able to detect differences in the MBF of skeletal muscle: 1) before and after infusion with the adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) agonist regadenoson, and 2) between steady state and vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC). Methods: CEU measurements were obtained in forearm skeletal muscle in adult HbSS patients. Two measures are used to calculate MBF: 1) velocity of RBCs through capillaries and 2) volume of blood perfused in an area of tissue. MBF is the product of RBC velocity and volume of blood. In one study cohort, MBF was measured in steady-state patients during a 24-hour infusion of regadenoson (1.44 µg/kg/hour). CEU perfusion imaging was obtained at baseline, 6 and 24 hours after initiation of regadenoson. In the second study cohort, CEU measurements were obtained within the same patient during a hospital admission for VOC and at steady state. MBF was expressed in terms of a ratio to baseline flow (pre-regadenoson) in cohort 1 and as a ratio of VOC to steady-state flow for cohort 2. Results: CEU measurements were obtained in13 patients administered regadenoson, and 7 patients at steady state and during VOC. Median age (range) of all patients studied was 24 years (20-45) and 55% were female. During regadenoson infusion, there was a median increase in skeletal muscle MBF of 29% at 6 hours (ratio 1.29, IQR 0.81) and 9% at 24 hours (ratio 1.09, IQR 1.40). Increase in MBF during regadenoson administration was largely due to higher RBC velocity (6 hours ratio: 1.24, IQR 0.88; 24 hours: ratio 1.12 IQR 0.85). There was a median decrease of 40% in skeletal muscle blood flow during VOC compared to steady state (ratio 0.60, IQR 0.27). Similarly, a decrease in RBC velocity accounted for most of the reduction in MBF in VOC compared to steady state (ratio 0.63, IQR 0.35). Conclusion: CEU measures of skeletal muscle MBF increased during a 24-hour infusion of regadenoson and decreased in VOC compared to steady state. Changes in RBC velocity, as opposed to the volume of blood perfused, accounted for most of the differences in MBF seen during regadenoson infusion and VOC. Alterations in rheology or vascular tone could explain these changes. These data provide additional evidence for the A2AR agonist regadenoson as a therapeutic modality for patients with SCD and suggest that CEU is a valid measure of blood flow in VOC. Taken together, the findings of this preliminary study demonstrate that CEU, a non-invasive, portable technique to measure MBF, could be used as an objective outcome measure for therapeutic studies in SCD. Disclosures Field: NKTT: Consultancy, Research Funding. Off Label Use: IND for regadenoson for treatment of VOC in sickle cell disease.


Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 1080-1080
Author(s):  
Allison K. Ikeda ◽  
Tiffany C. Anaebere ◽  
Nitin Malik ◽  
Matthew D. Antalek ◽  
Miles L. Seidel ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 1080 Background: The pathophysiology of sickle cell disease (SCD) involves vascular complications such as stroke and pulmonary hypertension. Elevated pulmonary artery pressure estimated by cardiac ultrasound or measured by invasive right heart catheterization is associated with early mortality among patients with SCD. Peripheral vascular dysfunction has also been observed in SCD and may be easier to assess than pulmonary vascular resistance and therefore more suitable for epidemiologic or interventional studies of SCD. Three previous studies found no difference in the maximal blood flow (or percentage increase) stimulated by occlusion and reperfusion of the brachial artery, a conduit vessel, when measured by Doppler ultrasound at periodic intervals. However, a study using continuous laser Doppler measurements of cutaneous microvascular blood flow found that patients with SCD had prolonged time to maximal blood flow and prolonged time to return to baseline compared to healthy controls. In our study, we used two-dimensional laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) to assess the cutaneous microvascular blood flow response in adults with SCD after five minutes of brachial artery occlusion. Methods: Nine subjects with sickle cell disease were enrolled and compared against nine healthy African-American control subjects matched for age, sex, ethnicity, and body mass index. Cutaneous blood flow was directly measured using LCSI at baseline, during and after a standard brachial artery occlusion-reperfusion maneuver (inflation of an occlusive pneumatic cuff for five minutes). This stimulates a transient increase in blood flow to levels above baseline during the reperfusion phase. Blood flow data were averaged over a defined region of interest on the medial aspect of the forearm. Microvascular blood flow responsiveness was calculated as the time to maximum (time elapsed from 50% of maximum to maximum blood flow) and the time to return to baseline (time elapsed from maximum to 50% of maximum blood flow). We performed measurements on each individual on two separate days, and compared the microvascular blood flow responses between the groups using two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Results: We enrolled nine patients with sickle cell disease (age 35 ± 8.8, BMI 23 ± 3.9, 3 men/6 women) and nine healthy controls (age 35 ± 10.7 years, BMI 25 ± 3.2, 3 men/6 women). Baseline microvascular blood flow measured in arbitrary units (AU) was greater in patients with sickle cell disease compared to healthy controls (53.1 ± 9.2 AU vs 37.2 ± 4.4 AU, p < 0.0001) but maximal microvascular blood flow was similar (121.3 ± 29.3 AU vs 124.7 ± 26.6 AU, p = 0.58). Analysis of the time from half-maximum to maximum blood flow revealed that patients with sickle cell disease take longer to reach maximum blood flow (19.1 ± 11.6 s vs 11.8 ± 1.0 s, p = 0.03) and longer to decrease from maximum to half-maximum blood flow during the recovery period (43.5 ± 13.0 s vs 28.6 ± 10.4 s, p = 0.002). Conclusion: Compared to healthy individuals, patients with SCD have greater baseline microvascular blood flow but similar maximal blood flow during reperfusion. However, patients with SCD differ significantly from healthy control subjects in the time required to reach maximal blood flow and the time required to return to baseline, both of which are prolonged in patients with SCD. This may reflect delayed or impaired endothelial responses to shear stress and/or greater viscosity of blood. Time to maximal blood flow might represent a useful physiological biomarker as a proxy for clinical severity of sickle cell anemia, and a potential surrogate marker in early phase clinical trials. This technique merits additional characterization and validation. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2020 ◽  
Vol 599 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lewan Parker ◽  
Dale J. Morrison ◽  
Glenn D. Wadley ◽  
Christopher S. Shaw ◽  
Andrew C. Betik ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 303 (3) ◽  
pp. E301-E307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn K. McConell ◽  
Stephen Rattigan ◽  
Robert S. Lee-Young ◽  
Glenn D. Wadley ◽  
Troy L. Merry

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important vasodilator and regulator in the cardiovascular system, and this link was the subject of a Nobel prize in 1998. However, NO also plays many other regulatory roles, including thrombosis, immune function, neural activity, and gastrointestinal function. Low concentrations of NO are thought to have important signaling effects. In contrast, high concentrations of NO can interact with reactive oxygen species, causing damage to cells and cellular components. A less-recognized site of NO production is within skeletal muscle, where small increases are thought to have beneficial effects such as regulating glucose uptake and possibly blood flow, but higher levels of production are thought to lead to deleterious effects such as an association with insulin resistance. This review will discuss the role of NO in skeletal muscle during and following exercise, including in mitochondrial biogenesis, muscle efficiency, and blood flow with a particular focus on its potential role in regulating skeletal muscle glucose uptake during exercise.


1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (5) ◽  
pp. H1696-H1703 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Mitchell ◽  
K. Tyml

Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to be a potent vasodilator released from endothelial cells (EC) in large blood vessels, but NO release has not been examined in the capillary bed. Because the capillary bed represents the largest source of EC, it may be the largest source of vascular NO. In the present study, we used intravital microscopy to examine the effect of the NO synthase inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), on the microvasculature of the rat extensor digitorum longus muscle. L-NAME (30 mM) applied locally to a capillary (300 micron(s) from the feeding arteriole) reduced red blood cell (RBC) velocity [VRBC; control VRBC = 238 +/- 58 (SE) micron/s; delta VRBC = -76 +/- 8%] and RBC flux (4.4 +/- 0.7 to 2.8 +/- 0.7 RBC/s) significantly in the capillary, but did not change feeding arteriole diameter (Dcon = 6.3 +/- 0.7 micron, delta D = 5 +/- 7%) or draining venule diameter (Dcon = 10.1 +/- 0.6 micron, delta D = 4 +/- 2%). Because of the VRBC change, the flux reduction was equivalent to an increased local hemoconcentration from 1.8 to 5 RBCs per 100 micron capillary length. L-NAME also caused an increase in the number of adhering leukocytes in the venule from 0.29 to 1.43 cells/100 micron. L-NAME (30 mM) applied either to arterioles or to venules did not change capillary VRBC. Bradykinin (BK) locally applied to the capillary caused significant increases in VRBC (delta VRBC = 111 +/- 23%) and in arteriolar diameter (delta D = 40 +/- 5%). This BK response was blocked by capillary pretreatment with 30 mM L-NAME (delta VRBC = -4 +/- 27%; delta D = 5 +/- 9% after BK). We concluded that NO may be released from capillary EC both basally and in response to the vasodilator BK. We hypothesize that 1) low basal levels of NO affect capillary blood flow by modulating local hemoconcentration and leukocyte adhesion, and 2) higher levels of NO (stimulated by BK) may cause a remote vasodilation to increase microvascular blood flow.


2011 ◽  
Vol 301 (2) ◽  
pp. E342-E350 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Genders ◽  
E. A. Bradley ◽  
S. Rattigan ◽  
S. M. Richards

There is considerable support for the concept that insulin-mediated increases in microvascular blood flow to muscle impact significantly on muscle glucose uptake. Since the microvascular blood flow increases with insulin have been shown to be nitric oxide-dependent inhibition of cGMP-degrading phosphodiesterases (cGMP PDEs) is predicted to enhance insulin-mediated increases in microvascular perfusion and muscle glucose uptake. Therefore, we studied the effects of the pan-cGMP PDE inhibitor zaprinast on the metabolic and vascular actions of insulin in muscle. Hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamps (3 mU·min−1·kg−1) were performed in anesthetized rats and changes in microvascular blood flow assessed from rates of 1-methylxanthine metabolism across the muscle bed by capillary xanthine oxidase in response to insulin and zaprinast. We also characterized cGMP PDE isoform expression in muscle by real-time PCR and immunostaining of frozen muscle sections. Zaprinast enhanced insulin-mediated microvascular perfusion by 29% and muscle glucose uptake by 89%, while whole body glucose infusion rate during insulin infusion was increased by 33% at 2 h. PDE2, -9, and -10 were the major isoforms expressed at the mRNA level in muscle, while PDE1B, -9A, -10A, and -11A proteins were expressed in blood vessels. Acute administration of the cGMP PDE inhibitor zaprinast enhances muscle microvascular blood flow and glucose uptake response to insulin. The expression of a number of cGMP PDE isoforms in skeletal muscle suggests that targeting specific cGMP PDE isoforms may provide a promising avenue for development of a novel class of therapeutics for enhancing muscle insulin sensitivity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leryn J. Reynolds ◽  
Daniel P. Credeur ◽  
Camila Manrique ◽  
Jaume Padilla ◽  
Paul J. Fadel ◽  
...  

Increased endothelin-1 (ET-1) and reduced endothelial nitric oxide phosphorylation (peNOS) are hypothesized to reduce insulin-stimulated blood flow in type 2 diabetes (T2D), but studies examining these links in humans are limited. We sought to assess basal and insulin-stimulated endothelial signaling proteins (ET-1 and peNOS) in skeletal muscle from T2D patients. Ten obese T2D [glucose disposal rate (GDR): 6.6 ± 1.6 mg·kg lean body mass (LBM)−1·min−1] and 11 lean insulin-sensitive subjects (Lean GDR: 12.9 ± 1.2 mg·kg LBM−1·min−1) underwent a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp with vastus lateralis biopsies taken before and 60 min into the clamp. Basal biopsies were also taken in 11 medication-naïve, obese, non-T2D subjects. ET-1, peNOS (Ser1177), and eNOS protein and mRNA were measured from skeletal muscle samples containing native microvessels. Femoral artery blood flow was assessed by duplex Doppler ultrasound. Insulin-stimulated blood flow was reduced in obese T2D (Lean: +50.7 ± 6.5% baseline, T2D: +20.8 ± 5.2% baseline, P < 0.05). peNOS/eNOS content was higher in Lean under basal conditions and, although not increased by insulin, remained higher in Lean during the insulin clamp than in obese T2D ( P < 0.05). ET-1 mRNA and peptide were 2.25 ± 0.50- and 1.52 ± 0.11-fold higher in obese T2D compared with Lean at baseline, and ET-1 peptide remained 2.02 ± 1.9-fold elevated in obese T2D after insulin infusion ( P < 0.05) but did not increase with insulin in either group ( P > 0.05). Obese non-T2D subjects tended to also display elevated basal ET-1 ( P = 0.06). In summary, higher basal skeletal muscle expression of ET-1 and reduced peNOS/eNOS may contribute to a reduced insulin-stimulated leg blood flow response in obese T2D patients. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Although impairments in endothelial signaling are hypothesized to reduce insulin-stimulated blood flow in type 2 diabetes (T2D), human studies examining these links are limited. We provide the first measures of nitric oxide synthase and endothelin-1 expression from skeletal muscle tissue containing native microvessels in individuals with and without T2D before and during insulin stimulation. Higher basal skeletal muscle expression of endothelin-1 and reduced endothelial nitric oxide phosphorylation (peNOS)/eNOS may contribute to reduced insulin-stimulated blood flow in obese T2D patients.


2005 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Gregory ◽  
M. N. Deane ◽  
M. Marsh

Objective: The precise mechanisms by which massage promotes repair in injured soft tissue are unknown. Various authorshave attributed the beneficial effects of massage to vasodilation and increased skin and muscle blood flow. The aim of this study was to determine whether deep transverse friction massage (DTF) causes capillary vasodilation in untraumatised skeletal muscle. Setting: Academic institution.Interventions: Twelve New Zealand white rabbits were anaesthetised and the left biceps femoris muscle received 10 minutes of DTF. Following treatment, wedge biopsies were taken from the musclewithin 10 minutes of treatment (R1 - 4), 24 hours (R5 - 8) and 6 days(R9 - 12) after treatment. To serve as controls, similar biopsies weretaken from the right biceps femoris of animals. The samples were fixed, dehydrated and embedded in epoxy resin.Transverse sections (1µm) of muscle were cut, stained with 1% aqueous alkaline toluidine blue and examined with a light microscope using a 40X objective. Images containing capillaries were captured using an image analyser with SIS software and the cross sectional diameters of at least 60 capillaries were measured from each specimen. Main Outcome Measures: Changes in capillary diameter. Results: The mean capillary diameters in control muscle averaged 4.76 µm. DTF caused a significant immediate increase of 17.3% in cross sectional area (p<0.001), which was not significantly increased by 10.0% after 24 hours (p>0.05). Six days after treatment the cross-sectional area of the treated muscle was 7.6% smaller than the controls. Conclusions: This confirms the contention that DTF stimulates muscle blood flow immediately after treatment and this may account for its beneficial effects in certain conditions. 


2011 ◽  
Vol 110 (5) ◽  
pp. 1181-1189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darren P. Casey ◽  
Michael J. Joyner

We previously demonstrated that nitric oxide (NO) contributes to compensatory vasodilation in the contracting human forearm subjected to acute hypoperfusion. We examined the potential role of an adenosine-NO interaction to this response in 17 male subjects (25 ± 2 yr). In separate protocols subjects performed rhythmic forearm exercise (20% of maximum) while hypoperfusion was evoked by balloon inflation in the brachial artery above the elbow. Each trial included exercise before inflation, exercise with inflation, and exercise after deflation (3 min each). Forearm blood flow (FBF; ultrasound) and local [brachial artery catheter pressure (BAP)] and systemic [mean arterial pressure (MAP); Finometer] arterial pressure were measured. In protocol 1 ( n = 10), exercise was repeated during nitric oxide synthase inhibition [ NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMMA)] alone and during l-NMMA-aminophylline (adenosine receptor blockade) administration. In protocol 2, exercise was repeated during aminophylline alone and during aminophylline-l-NMMA. Forearm vascular conductance (FVC; ml·min−1·100 mmHg−1) was calculated from blood flow (ml/min) and BAP (mmHg). Percent recovery in FVC during inflation was calculated as (steady-state inflation + exercise value − nadir)/[steady-state exercise (control) value − nadir]. In protocol 1, percent recovery in FVC was 108 ± 8% during the control (no drug) trial. Percent recovery in FVC was attenuated with inhibition of NO formation alone (78 ± 9%; P < 0.01 vs. control) and was attenuated further with combined inhibition of NO and adenosine (58 ± 9%; P < 0.01 vs. l-NMMA). In protocol 2, percent recovery was reduced with adenosine receptor blockade (74 ± 11% vs. 113 ± 6%, P < 0.01) compared with control drug trials. Percent recovery in FVC was attenuated further with combined inhibition of adenosine and NO (48 ± 11%; P < 0.05 vs. aminophylline). Our data indicate that adenosine contributes to compensatory vasodilation in an NO-independent manner during exercise with acute hypoperfusion.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (3) ◽  
pp. 590-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dino Premilovac ◽  
Emily Attrill ◽  
Stephen Rattigan ◽  
Stephen M Richards ◽  
Jeonga Kim ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims Angiotensin II (AngII) is a potent vasoconstrictor implicated in both hypertension and insulin resistance. Insulin dilates the vasculature in skeletal muscle to increase microvascular blood flow and enhance glucose disposal. In the present study, we investigated whether acute AngII infusion interferes with insulin’s microvascular and metabolic actions in skeletal muscle. Methods and results Adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats received a systemic infusion of either saline, AngII, insulin (hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp), or insulin (hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp) plus AngII. A final, separate group of rats received an acute local infusion of AngII into a single hindleg during systemic insulin (hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp) infusion. In all animals’ systemic metabolic effects, central haemodynamics, femoral artery blood flow, microvascular blood flow, and skeletal muscle glucose uptake (isotopic glucose) were monitored. Systemic AngII infusion increased blood pressure, decreased heart rate, and markedly increased circulating glucose and insulin concentrations. Systemic infusion of AngII during hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp inhibited insulin-mediated suppression of hepatic glucose output and insulin-stimulated microvascular blood flow in skeletal muscle but did not alter insulin’s effects on the femoral artery or muscle glucose uptake. Local AngII infusion did not alter blood pressure, heart rate, or circulating glucose and insulin. However, local AngII inhibited insulin-stimulated microvascular blood flow, and this was accompanied by reduced skeletal muscle glucose uptake. Conclusions Acute infusion of AngII significantly alters basal haemodynamic and metabolic homeostasis in rats. Both local and systemic AngII infusion attenuated insulin’s microvascular actions in skeletal muscle, but only local AngII infusion led to reduced insulin-stimulated muscle glucose uptake. While increased local, tissue production of AngII may be a factor that couples microvascular insulin resistance and hypertension, additional studies are needed to determine the molecular mechanisms responsible for these vascular defects.


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