Flow-Mediated Vasodilation and Anatomical Variation of the Brachial Artery (Double Brachial Artery) in Healthy Subjects and Patients With Cardiovascular Disease

• Published in: Circulation Journal Vol. 77; no. 4; pp. 1073 - 1080
• Main Authors: Maruhashi, Tatsuya, Mikami, Shinsuke, Soga, Junko, Kihara, Yasuki, Nakashima, Ayumu, Iwamoto, Yumiko, Fujii, Yuichi, Fujimura, Noritaka, Idei, Naomi, Teragawa, Hiroki, Hidaka, Takayuki, Chayama, Kazuaki, Noma, Kensuke, Goto, Chikara, Higashi, Yukihito
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japanese Circulation Society 2013
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Atherosclerosis; Blood Flow Velocity; Brachial Artery - diagnostic imaging; Brachial Artery - physiopathology; Cardiovascular Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Cardiovascular Diseases - physiopathology; Double brachial artery; Female; Flow-mediated vasodilation; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nitroglycerin - administration & dosage; Ultrasonography; Vasodilation; Vasodilator Agents - administration & dosage
• ISSN: 1346-9843; 1347-4820; 1347-4820
• DOI: 10.1253/circj.CJ-12-1130

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of anatomical variation of the brachial artery on flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) in healthy subjects and patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods and Results: There was no significant difference in the prevalence of double brachial artery between healthy subjects (6.1%) and patients with CVD (6.5%). In healthy subjects, FMD was larger in a single brachial artery than in large and small vessels of a double brachial artery (7.2±3.4% vs. 4.7±3.3% and 4.5±2.5%, P<0.01, respectively). In patients with CVD, there were no significant differences in FMD among a single brachial artery, large vessel of a double brachial artery and small vessel of a double brachial artery (3.3±1.4%, 3.1±2.3% and 3.6±2.1%). FMD in a single brachial artery was smaller in patients with CVD than in healthy subjects. There were no significant differences in FMD in the large vessel of a double brachial artery between the 2 groups or in the small vessel of a double brachial artery between the 2 groups. Nitroglycerine-induced vasodilation was similar in all arteries in healthy subjects and patients with CVD. Conclusions: When measuring FMD, the existence of a double brachial artery should be checked. FMD measured in a double brachial artery may be underestimated in healthy subjects.  (Circ J 2013; 77: 1073–1080)