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The objective of this study was to identify risk markers for attenuated coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) that exist in healthy young men without evident atherosclerotic risk factors. Coronary blood flow velocity was measured with transthoracic Doppler echocardiography at baseline and during adenosine infusion in 37 healthy nonsmoking men [mean age, 27 yr (SD 4.0)]. Body composition and distribution of fat tissue were assessed with anthropometric measures and regulation of fat metabolism by determination of adiponectin and leptin levels. Physical performance capacity was tested with ergospirometry. The mean body mass index was 23 kg/[m.sup.2] (SD 1.9), waist-to-hip ratio was 0.84 (SD 0.04), and CFVR was 3.5 (SD 0.61). Obesity indexes at study outset, leptin, adiponectin, maximal load (Max load in W/kg) and maximal oxygen consumption (V[O.sub.2] peak in ml x [kg.sup.-1] x [min.sup.-1]) in ergospirometry, ratepressure product, and heart rate at rest were significantly associated with CFVR. In multivariate analysis, Max load (in W/kg) and waistto-hip ratio were the only independent predictors of CFVR. We found no relationship between CFVR and serum lipids or body mass index. We conclude that abdominal fat accumulation and low aerobic fitness are independently associated with CFVR in men. transthoracic Doppler echocardiography; physical capacity in ergospirometry; visceral adipose tissue doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00915.2005

Kiviniemi, Tuomas O., Markku Saraste, Juha W. Koskenvuo, K. E. Juhani Airaksinen, Jyri O. Toikka, Antti Saraste, Jussi Parkka, and Jaakko J. Hartiala. Coronary artery diameter can be assessed reliably with transthoracic echocardiography. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 286: H1515---H1520, 2004. First published December 4, 2003; 10.1152/ajpheart.00819.2003.--We studied whether diameters of coronary arteries can be measured accurately with the use of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). By knowing the anatomic diameter of the coronary artery together with coronary flow velocity it is possible to measure coronary flow volume more precisely by TTE. However, the suitability of TTE for measurement of diameters of all main epicardial coronary arteries has not been systematically validated. We measured the diameters of the left main (LM), left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCX), and right coronary arteries (RCA) with the use of TTE [manual two-dimensional (2D), color-Doppler, and automated 2D analysis] in 30 patients who had normal coronary anatomy. We compared these diameters to those measured with quantitative coronary angiography (QCA). We could measure diameters of LM, LAD, LCX, and RCA by TTE in up to 37%, 63%, 7%, and 60% of patients, respectively. The overall correlation coefficients between TTE and QCA measurements were 0.83 (P < 0.01) with manual 2D analysis, 0.82 (P < 0.01) with automated 2D analysis, and 0.94 (P < 0.01) with a color-Doppler-based analysis. Interobserver variability of TTE measurements was low (coefficient of variation 5.4 [+ or -] 4.6-7.5 [+ or -] 8.8%). TTE is an accurate method to evaluate coronary artery diameter in patients with healthy coronary arteries. angiography; circulation; Doppler analysis

Abstract Background The cardioprotective effects of certain alcoholic beverages are partly related to their polyphenol content, which may improve the vasodilatory reactivity of arteries. Effect of cognac on coronary circulation, however, remains unknown. The purpose of this randomized controlled cross-over study was to determine whether moderate doses of cognac improve coronary reactivity as assessed with cold pressor testing (CPT) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) measument. Methods Study group consisted of 23 subjects. Coronary flow velocity and epicardial diameter was assessed using transthoracic echocardiography at rest, during CPT and adenosine infusion-derived CFR measurements before drinking, after a moderate (1.2 ± 0.1 dl) and an escalating high dose (total amount 2.4 ± 0.3 dl) of cognac. To explore the bioavailability of antioxidants, the antioxidant contents of cognac was measured and the absorption from the digestive tract was verified by plasma antioxidant capacity determination. Results Serum alcohol levels increased to 1.2 ± 0.2‰ and plasma antioxidant capacity from 301 ± 43.9 μmol/l to 320 ± 25.0 μmol/l by 7.6 ± 11.8%, (p = 0.01) after high doses of cognac. There was no significant change in flow velocity during CPT after cognac ingestion compared to control day. CFR was 4.4 ± 0.8, 4.1 ± 0.9 (p = NS), and 4.5 ± 1.2 (p = NS) before drinking and after moderate and high doses on cognac day, and 4.5 ± 1.4, and 4.0 ± 1.2 (p = NS) on control day. Conclusion Cognac increased plasma antioxidant capacity, but it had no effect on coronary circulation in healthy young men. Trial Registration NCT00330213

BACKGROUND. There is a clear east-west difference in coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality and incidence in Finland, people living in east Finland having higher CHD rate. A study of Finnish immigrants to Sweden has suggested that a long stay in Sweden would be associated with reduced CHD risk. AIM. To determine whether structural and functional markers of subclinical atherosclerosis differ between men originating from east and west Finland, and whether migration to Sweden influences subclinical atherosclerosis. METHOD. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) with high-resolution ultrasound and a set of cardiovascular risk factors were measured in 76 middle-aged male twin pairs (55 pairs from east and 21 pairs from west Finland) discordant for migration to Sweden. RESULTS. Among men living in Finland, IMT was significantly higher in men originating from east Finland compared to those from west Finland (0.796 ± 0.212 versus 0.704 ± 0.123 mm, P = 0.02). A similar east-west difference was observed in men who had migrated to Sweden (0.766 ± 0.220 versus 0.686 ± 0.089 mm, P = 0.03). The east-west difference in IMT persisted after adjustment for the major traditional cardiovascular risk factors. No east-west difference was seen in FMD. Smoking, Framingham risk score and physical activity had a greater impact on IMT in men originating from east compared to west Finland. CONCLUSIONS. Men originating from east Finland, irrespective of their current residence, have a greater degree of subclinical atherosclerosis and they may be more susceptible to the impact of conventional cardiovascular risk factors than men originating from west Finland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]