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The British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease
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Reviews

Review: Clinical assessment of endothelial function — an update

Janice Swampillai

Wales Heart Research Institute, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK, swampillaij{at}cf.ac.uk

Sagar Doshi

Wales Heart Research Institute, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK

Alan G Fraser

Wales Heart Research Institute, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK

Jonathan Goodfellow

Wales Heart Research Institute, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK

Christopher Jh Jones

Wales Heart Research Institute, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK

Endothelial dysfunction precedes clinically detectable vascular disease, suggesting its early detection may allow the targeting of treatment to improve endothelial function and thus inhibit progression of disease.1,2 Although the evidence for a preventive strategy remains circumstantial, there is worldwide interest in the measurement of endothelial function in relation to risk factors and treatment of atherosclerotic vascular disease. Unfortunately, a widely applicable clinical measurement of endothelial function does not yet exist; those that are available remain tools for research. The ideal clinical test of endothelial function should be specific, sensitive and reproducible, as well as simple to perform, painless, and inexpensive. In this review we outline the relative merits and disadvantages of the techniques that are available.

Key Words: endothelial function • conduit arteries • arterial stiffness • endothelial activation.

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The British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease, Vol. 5, No. 2, 72-76 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/14746514050050020401
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