This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Duvernoy, C. S. Articles by Schwaiger, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Duvernoy, C. S. Articles by Schwaiger, M.

CLINICAL STUDIES

Gender differences in myocardial blood flow dynamics

Lipid profile and hemodynamic effects

Claire S. Duvernoy, MD^a, Christian Meyer, MD^a, Vanadin Seifert-Klauss, MD^*, Firat Dayanikli, MD, Ichiro Matsunari, MD^a, Judith Rattenhuber^*, Cornelia Höss, MD^*, Henner Graeff, MD^* and Markus Schwaiger, MD, FACC^a

^a Nuklearmedizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Munich, Germany
^* Frauenklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, Munich, Germany
Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Manuscript received November 19, 1997; revised manuscript received September 1, 1998, accepted October 22, 1998.

Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. Markus Schwaiger, Nuklearmedizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, Ismaningerstrasse 22, 81675 München, Germany
M.Schwaiger{at}lrz.tu-muenchen.de

Objectives

The purpose of the study was to compare myocardial blood flow (MBF) in hyperlipidemic postmenopausal women and age-matched hyperlipidemic men, and to analyze the relationship between cholesterol subfractions and myocardial blood flow in men and women.

Background

Women are protected from coronary artery disease (CAD) events until well after menopause, in part due to gender-specific differences in lipid profiles.

Methods

To examine the effect of these influences on coronary microcirculation, MBF was quantitated with N-13 ammonia/PET (positron emission tomography) at rest and during adenosine hyperemia in 15 women and 15 men, all nondiabetic, who were matched for age and total cholesterol levels (53 ± 4 vs. 50 ± 8 years, p = NS, 6.44 ± 1.1 vs. 6.31 ± 0.85 mmol/liter, or 249 ± 41 vs. 244 ± 33 mg/dl, p = NS).

Results

Women had significantly higher high density lipoprotein (HDL) and lower triglyceride (Tg) levels than did men, and they showed significantly higher resting MBF and stress MBF levels. Significant correlations were found between resting and hyperemic MBF and HDL and Tg levels (r = 0.44, p < 0.02 for stress MBF vs. HDL; r = 0.48, p < 0.007 for stress MBF vs. Tg). Gender was the strongest predictor of hyperemic MBF in multivariate analysis. Women responded to adenosine hyperemia with a significantly higher heart rate than did men, and hemodynamic factors correlated significantly with blood flow both at rest and during stress.

Conclusions

These data suggest that the favorable lipid profile seen in women may be associated with preserved maximal blood flow in the myocardium.

Abbreviations and Acronyms   CAD = coronary artery disease   HDL = high density lipoprotein   HR = heart rate   LAD = left anterior descending   LCx = left circumflex   LDL = low density lipoprotein   MBF = myocardial blood flow   MBP = mean blood pressure   MI = myocardial infarction   PET = positron emission tomography   PRP = pressure rate product   RCA = right coronary artery   SPECT = single photon emission computed tomography   Tg = triglyceride

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. Wang, M. Jerosch-Herold, D. R. Jacobs Jr, E. Shahar, and A. R. Folsom Coronary Risk Factors and Myocardial Perfusion in Asymptomatic Adults: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., February 7, 2006; 47(3): 565 - 572. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Wieneke, C. von Birgelen, M. Haude, H. Eggebrecht, S. Mohlenkamp, A. Schmermund, D. Bose, C. Altmann, T. Bartel, and R. Erbel Determinants of coronary blood flow in humans: quantification by intracoronary Doppler and ultrasound J Appl Physiol, March 1, 2005; 98(3): 1076 - 1082. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. A. Kaufmann and P. G. Camici Myocardial Blood Flow Measurement by PET: Technical Aspects and Clinical Applications J. Nucl. Med., January 1, 2005; 46(1): 75 - 88. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Hernandez-Pampaloni, F. Y.J. Keng, T. Kudo, J. S. Sayre, and H. R. Schelbert Abnormal Longitudinal, Base-to-Apex Myocardial Perfusion Gradient by Quantitative Blood Flow Measurements in Patients With Coronary Risk Factors Circulation, July 31, 2001; 104(5): 527 - 532. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. Sopowski, S. M. Hampton, D. C. O. Ribeiro, L. Morgan, and J. Arendt Postprandial Triacylglycerol Responses in Simulated Night and Day Shift: Gender Differences J Biol Rhythms, June 1, 2001; 16(3): 272 - 276. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. Chareonthaitawee, P. A Kaufmann, O. Rimoldi, and P. G Camici Heterogeneity of resting and hyperemic myocardial blood flow in healthy humans Cardiovasc Res, April 1, 2001; 50(1): 151 - 161. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]