Steinberg H, Learning R, Johnson A, Brechtel G, Cronin J,
Baron AD
Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation may be impaired by normal
range cholesterol levels
AHA Council for High Blood Pressure Research
Hypertension
(Sep) 26:540 (abst) 1995
Vasodilator-induced endothelium-dependent vasodilation, in vivo, and in
isolated arteries is impaired by hypocholesterolemia, even in the absence of
structural lesions. Mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction remain unclear
and data have not allowed definition of a threshold value of cholesterol or
other measures of dyslipidemia which result in impaired vasodilation. 24
well- matched, healthy male volunteers were grouped by serum cholesterol as
low normal (154 +/- 3) and high normal (206 +/- 8 mg/dL) and lower extremity
vasodilation assessed in response to graded intrafemoral arterial infusion
of methacholine. Vasodilation was significantly greater in the patients
with lower serum cholesterol, and a weak inverse relation was observed
between maximal relaxation and serum cholesterol (r2=0.15, p=0.06). Whether
this suggests a threshold effect at "high-normal" values, whether this
observation would hold using more common measures of endothelium-dependent
relaxation, and what mechanisms lead to this apparent endothelial
dysfunction, all remain unclear.
(J. Umans)
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