The automated DSPF method's RHFV index correlates strongly (r=0.87) with ultrasound FMD, achieving AUC=0.8475 in detecting endothelial dysfunction.
Does a diffuse speckle pulsatile flowmetry (DSPF) device accurately measure endothelial dysfunction compared to clinical ultrasound FMD?
A novel, low-cost optical diffuse speckle pulsatile flowmetry device demonstrates high accuracy and correlation with ultrasound for assessing endothelial dysfunction, offering a potential point-of-care screening tool.
Absolute Event Rate: 0% vs 0%
Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is the non-invasive gold standard for assessing endothelial dysfunction, an early and reversible marker of atherosclerosis, yet its uptake is limited by the cost, complexity, and operator dependence of ultrasound. This study presents an optical method that quantifies endothelial dysfunction using a compact, low-cost, fully automated diffuse speckle pulsatile flowmetry (DSPF) device. The system offers a new Reactive-Hyperemia–Flow-Volume (RHFV) index that achieves a strong correlation (r = 0.87) with clinical ultrasound FMD index and high discriminative performance for endothelial dysfunction (AUC = 0.8475), demonstrating accuracy comparable to Doppler ultrasound. By enabling convenient, reliable evaluation of endothelial dysfunction at the point of care, this optical technology holds substantial promise as a primary-care screening tool for cardiovascular risk stratification and longitudinal monitoring, with the potential to improve prevention pathways and broaden access to vascular health assessment. Trial registration: NHG DSRB, 2022/00223. Registered 28 April 2022.
Qi et al. (Thu,) reported a other. The automated DSPF method's RHFV index correlates strongly (r=0.87) with ultrasound FMD, achieving AUC=0.8475 in detecting endothelial dysfunction.