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New Study Shows Coffee Improves Endothelial Function Measured at Fingertips

Microvasc Res. 2017 Nov;114:58-64. Acute effects of coffee on skin blood flow and microvascular function. Tesselaar E1, Nezirevic Dernroth D2, Farnebo S3. Author information 1Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Radiation Physics, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: erik.tesselaar@liu.se.2Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical Chemistry, Region Östergötland, Linköping, Sweden.3Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery, and Burns, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. Abstract OBJECTIVE: Studies on the acute effects of coffee on the microcirculation have shown contradicting results. This study aimed to investigate if intake of caffeine-containing coffee changes blood flow and microvascular reactivity in the skin. METHODS: We measured acute changes in cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) in the forearm and the tip of the finger, the microvascular response to transdermal iontophoresis of acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) in the skin, after intake of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee. RESULTS: Vasodilatation during iontophoresis of ACh was significantly stronger after intake of caffeinated coffee compared to after intake of decaffeinated coffee (1.26±0.20PU/mmHg vs. 1.13±0.38PU/mmHg, P<0.001). Forearm CVC before and after PORH were not affected by caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee. After intake of caffeinated coffee, a more pronounced decrease in CVC in the fingertip was observed compared to after intake of decaffeinated coffee (-1.36PU/mmHg vs. -0.52PU/mmHg, P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Caffeine, as ingested by drinking caffeinated coffee acutely improves endothelium-dependent microvascular responses in the forearm skin, while endothelium-independent responses to PORH and SNP iontophoresis are not affected. Blood flow in the fingertip decreases markedly during the first hour after drinking caffeinated coffee compared to decaffeinated coffee. J Pharmacol Sci. 127(2):217-22. doi: Effect of caffeine contained in a cup of coffee on microvascular function in healthy subjects. Noguchi K1, Matsuzaki T2, Sakanashi M2, Hamadate N2, Uchida T2, Kina-Tanada M2, Kubota H2, Nakasone J2, Sakanashi M2, Ueda S3, Masuzaki H4, Ishiuchi S5, Ohya Y6, Tsutsui M7. Author information 1Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan. Electronic address: noguchi@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp.2Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.3Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.4Second Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.5Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.6Third Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.7Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan. Electronic address: tsutsui@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp. Abstract Recent epidemiological studies have demonstrated that coffee drinking is associated with reduced mortality of cardiovascular disease. However, its precise mechanisms remain to be clarified. In this study, we examined whether single ingestion of caffeine contained in a cup of coffee improves microvascular function in healthy subjects. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study was performed in 27 healthy volunteers. A cup of either caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee was drunk by the subjects, and reactive hyperemia of finger blood flow was assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry. In an interval of more than 2 days, the same experimental protocol was repeated with another coffee in a crossover manner. Caffeinated coffee intake slightly but significantly elevated blood pressure and decreased finger blood flow as compared with decaffeinated coffee intake. There was no significant difference in heart rate between caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee intake. Importantly, caffeinated coffee intake significantly enhanced post-occlusive reactive hyperemia of finger blood flow, an index of microvascular endothelial function, compared with decaffeinated coffee intake. These results provide the first evidence that caffeine contained in a cup of coffee enhances microvascular function in healthy individuals. KEYWORDS: Caffeine; Coffee; Endothelial function; Laser-Doppler flowmetry; Microcirculation J Am Heart Assoc. 6(9). pii: e006082. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.117.006082. Body Mass Index Is Associated With Microvascular Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients With Treated Metabolic Risk Factors and Suspected Coronary Artery Disease. van der Heijden DJ1, van Leeuwen MAH2, Janssens GN2, Lenzen MJ3, van de Ven PM4, Eringa EC5, van Royen N6. Author information 1Department of Cardiology, Haaglanden Medical Center, The Hague, the Netherlands.2Department of Cardiology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.3Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC Thoraxcenter, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.4Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.5Department of Physiology, VU University Medical Center and Institute for Cardiovascular Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.6Department of Cardiology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands n.vanroyen@vumc.nl. Abstract BACKGROUND: Obesity is key feature of the metabolic syndrome and is associated with high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Obesity is associated with macrovascular endothelial dysfunction, a determinant of outcome in patients with coronary artery disease. Here, we compared the influence of obesity on microvascular endothelial function to that of established cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking in patients with suspected coronary artery disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: Endothelial function was assessed during postocclusive reactive hyperemia of the brachial artery and downstream microvascular beds in 108 patients who were scheduled for coronary angiography. In all patients, microvascular vasodilation was assessed using peripheral arterial tonometry; laser Doppler flowmetry and digital thermal monitoring were performed. Body mass index was significantly associated with decreased endothelium-dependent vasodilatation measured with peripheral arterial tonometry (r=0.23, P=0.02), laser Doppler flowmetry (r=0.30, P<0.01), and digital thermal monitoring (r=0.30, P<0.01). In contrast, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking had no influence on microvascular vasodilatation. Especially in diabetic patients, endothelial function was not significantly reduced (control versus diabetes mellitus, mean±SEM or median [interquartile range], peripheral arterial tonometry: 1.90±0.20 versus 1.67±0.20, P=0.19, laser Doppler flowmetry: 728% [interquartile range, 427-1110] versus 589% [interquartile range, 320-1067] P=0.28, and digital thermal monitoring: 6.6±1.0% versus 2.5±1.7%, P=0.08). In multivariate linear regression analysis, body mass index was the only risk factor that significantly attenuated endothelium-dependent vasodilatation using all 3 microvascular function tests. CONCLUSIONS: Higher body mass index is associated with reduced endothelial function in patients with suspected coronary artery disease, even after adjustment for treated diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley. Endothelial Function Scientific Update Sponsored by Endothelix Inc.

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