Do Microvascular Reactivity Studies Contribute to Clinical Practice?

We appraise in this publication the article “Microvascular Reactivity in Hypertensive Patients with High Body Adiposity”, by D’El-Rei et al. This is a complex investigation, assessing patients with Arterial Hypertension undergoing treatment, with the inclusion of several models for obesity assessment and several hemodynamic and circulatory parameters, which are studied in this scenario. Microvascular reactivity was evaluated using the Laser Speckle Contrast Image method in combination with Post-occlusive Reactive Hyperemia, therefore studying the endothelial function in this patient population.

Endothelial cells constitute an organ that is distributed throughout the body, comprising a dynamic interface with all other organs. The endothelium mediates vasomotor tone, regulates cell and nutrient traffic, maintains body fluidity, contributes to the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, modulates procoagulant and anticoagulant activity, participates in the formation of new blood vessels, orchestrates organ development, participates in immunity, interacts with circulating blood cells and undergoes programmed cell death.

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