We assessed the hypothesis that changes in endothelial vasomotor function in response to optimized therapy for atherosclerotic coronary artery disease predict future cardiovascular events.

Although endothelial vasomotor dysfunction is a predictor of cardiovascular events, it remains unclear whether reversibility of endothelial dysfunction in response to risk factor reduction provides prognostic information.

This study included 251 patients with newly diagnosed coronary artery disease and an impaired flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery (FMD <5.5%). Measurement of FMD was repeated after 6 months for individualized and optimized therapy to reduce risk factors according to American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. Patients were followed up for 36 months or until 1 of the following events occurred: cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, recurrent and refractory angina pectoris requiring coronary revascularization, or ischemic stroke.

FMD was persistently impaired (<5.5%) in 104 (41%) patients after 6 months of optimized therapy, whereas it improved (FMD ≥5.5%) in the remaining 147 (59%) patients. During 36 months of follow-up, events occurred in 27 (26%) patients with persistently impaired FMD and in 15 (10%) patients with improved FMD (p < 0.01 by chi-square test). Multivariate Cox hazards analysis showed that persistent impairment of FMD was an independent predictor of events (hazard ratio: 2.9, 95% confidence interval: 1.5 to 6.2, p < 0.01). Baseline FMD before the optimized therapy to reduce risk factor had no significant prognostic information.

Persistent impairment of endothelial vasomotor function despite optimized therapy to reduce risk factors has an adverse impact on outcome in coronary artery disease patients.