Handgrip exercise increases postocclusion hyperaemic brachial artery dilatation

Objective-To examine the effect of handgrip exercise induced ischaemia on n oninvasive assessment of endothelial function in the brachial artery. Design and setting-High frequency ultrasound was used to measure brachial a rtery diameter at rest and after reactive hyperaemia induced by forearm cuf f occlusion with and without handgrip exercise induced ischaemia. Subjects-10 healthy subjects, < 40 years, without known cardiovascular risk factors. Main outcome measures-Brachial artery dilatation and blood flow. Results-Hyperaemia following forearm occlusion with handgrip exercise induc ed ischaemia increased brachial artery diameter significantly more than hyp eraemia following occlusion alone, 6.9 (3.2)% and 4.5 (1.6)%, respectively (95% confidence interval 0.3% to 4.5%). There was no difference in peak blo od flow with and without exercise induced ischaemia Conclusions-Handgrip exercise induced ischaemia with forearm occlusion caus ed more pronounced brachial artery dilatation than occlusion alone without change in peak blood flow. This suggests continued brachial artery responsi veness to the stimulus of ischaemia despite maximum blood flow and peripher al vasodilatation with occlusion alone.