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Aim: to evaluate endothelial function (EF) in diabetic and non-diabetic patients without CAD by peripheral artery tonometry (PAT) technique. Methods: a cohort of 94 patients (55 men and 39 postmenopausal women; mean age 63±9 years) undergoing coronary angiography was divided into 2 groups: 58 patients with DM and (group 1) and 36 patients without DM. Endothelial dysfunction (ED) was assessed by digital pulse amplitude, using a fingertip peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT). As a measure of ED, reactive hyperemia index (RHI) was calculated as the ratio of the digital pulse volume during reactive hyperemia following 5 min ischemia and its basal value. Results: prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was similar between the two groups. RHI values were significantly lower in diabetic patients compared to non-diabetics (1.72±0.34 vs 2.00±0.44; p

Molecular imaging is an innovative and promising approach in cardiology for functional characterization of atherosclerosis. Nuclear, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging have been used for assessment of atherosclerosis of large and small arteries in several clinical and experimental studies. Positron Emission Tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose can measure metabolic activity and vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaques, identifying individuals at risk of future cardiovascular events. Magnetic resonance imaging can quantify carotid artery inflammation using iron oxide nanoparticles as contrast agent. In addition, macrophage accumulation of iron particles in atherosclerotic plaques may allow monitoring of inflammation during drug therapy, whereas contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging may detect plaque neovascularization. Currently, technical factors, including cardiac and diaphragmatic motion and small size of coronary vessels, limit routine application of these techniques for coronary imaging. Purpose of this review is to describe state of the art and potential areas of clinical applications of molecular imaging of atherosclerosis.

Carotid Intima Media Thickness (IMT) has been widely used to predict cardiovascular events in primary and secondary prevention studies. Yet, the power of IMT to reclassify risk level on top of conventional risk assessment based on classical risk factors remains unsettled. In fact, recent data indicate that the prognostic power of IMT is lower than that provided by the identification of carotid plaques. The role of IMT as surrogate endpoint to assess the efficacy of cardiovascular protective therapies is also still debated. In fact, no studies have ever been designed and powered to show a relationship between changes in carotid IMT during follow-up and cardiovascular events. Recently, two metaanalysis of trials using IMT as surrogate endpoint failed to demonstrate an association between IMT regression and cardiovascular events. The reasons for the lack of predictive role for changes in IMT are uncertain. It has been shown that IMT is not a pure atherosclerotic index, being substantially affected by age and hemodynamic factors including blood pressure and vessel wall shear stress. In addition, the status of carotid vessels does not strictly reflect that of coronary arteries. Finally, intra and inter-observer variability of measurements may further limit the association between IMT changes in individual patients and cardiovascular risk. Thus, IMT represents a valuable risk marker in population studies but its role for tailoring cardiovascular therapy in clinical practice remains currently uncertain.

In HIV infected patients an increased incidence of cardiac events has been reported since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Antiretroviral drugs’ regimens are, in fact, associated with several metabolic side effects, such as dyslipidemia, impaired glucose metabolism and abnormal body fat distribution, that increase cardiovascular risk of HIV subjects. In addition, HIV infection itself, the chronic inflammatory status and the frequent presence in this population of traditional risk factors contribute to an higher incidence of cardio and cerebrovascular events. In last years several studies showed the occurrence of carotid vascular impairment in patients treated with protease inhibitors (PI). Similarly the DAD Study reported an increase of 26% of the risk of myocardial infarction in patients on HAART and that this risk was independently associated with longer exposure to PI, after multivariate adjustments. A correct evaluation of the metabolic status before starting HAART and an adequate control of drugs-related metabolic abnormalities may reduce the incidence of cardiac events and still improve HIV patients prognosis. This review will focus on the metabolic effects of antiretroviral drugs and on the contribution of combination antiretroviral therapy on cardiovascular risk.