Endothelium and inelastic arteries: an early marker of vascular dysfunction in non-insulin dependent diabetes

Baseline characteristics and resting brachial artery measurements were similar between diabetic and normal subjects (heart rate 61 (SD 4) v 56 (8) per minute; blood pressure 127 (12)/69 (13) v 124 (15)/63 (9) mm Hg; blood flow 45 (28) v 49 (41) ml/min; diastolic diameter 4.82 (0.60) v 4.47 (1.05) mm; distensibility 4.8 (1.4) v 5.9 (1.6) per kPa). During reactive hyperaemia, heart rate, blood pressure, and the increase in brachial artery blood flow (554.8% (99.5%) v 590% (106.6%)) were similar in diabetic and normal subjects (figure 1 ) but the increases in brachial artery diastolic diameter (1.2% (2.7%) v 9.1% (4.4%); difference 6.9% (95% confidence interval 4.9% to 11%)) and distensibility (-15.3% (10.4%) v 31% (31.7%); difference 46.3% (25.5% to 67.1%)) were significantly less in diabetic subjects (both P