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There are several invasive and noninvasive methods available to the clinical researcher for the assessment of endothelial function. The first investigations in humans involved invasive pharmacological vascular function testing, which have been used to gain a detailed understanding of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis as well as novel targets for intervention. Techniques for endothelial function testing have evolved over time from these invasive methods, which, by their nature, are restricted to small studies in the research laboratory, to more standardized noninvasive methods, which are suitable for use in large prospective cohort studies and clinical trials. This paper describes currently available methods for assessment of endothelial function and their potential application in cardiovascular research and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Little is known about the role of physical activity accumulation in cardiovascular disease risk for children with type 1 diabetes. Improved insight to identify factors of influence in key health outcomes could be provided by considering the entire physical activity profile. Methods: Pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index and heart rate variability (HRV) were assessed cross‐sectionally in children with (n = 29, 12.1 ± 2.1 years) and without (n = 19, 12.1 ± 2.1 years) type 1 diabetes. Time spent sedentary and in each physical activity intensity, intensity gradient and average acceleration were derived from seven consecutive days of monitoring with wrist‐worn accelerometry. Comparison between groups and influence of physical activity accumulation on cardiovascular metrics were explored with linear mixed models. Results: Diabetic children demonstrated a higher PWV and a greater volume of light physical activity (p < 0.01), a more negative intensity gradient (p < 0.01), a lower average acceleration and less time in bouted moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA; p < 0.05). Overall, intensity gradient was strongly correlated with average acceleration, MVPA and bouted MVPA (r2 = 0.89, r2 = 0.80, r2 = 0.79, respectively; all p < 0.05), while average acceleration was correlated with MVPA and bouted MVPA (r2 = 0.85, r2 = 0.83, respectively; p < 0.05). Accounting for disease status, intensity gradient and average acceleration were significant predictors of HRV indices (p < 0.05) and PWV (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, respectively). Conclusion: Overall, MVPA was most associated with central stiffness, highlighting the importance of meeting activity guidelines. Diabetic children demonstrated poorer cardiovascular health than their counterparts, likely attributable to a lower intensity and physical activity volume, identifying physical activity intensity as a key target for future interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]