Upper arm venous compliance and fitness in stable coronary artery disease patients and healthy controls

Summary Objectives Arteries have been examined extensively in coronary artery disease (CAD), while less attention has been paid to veins. Aims: (1) To determine whether venous compliance or venous outflow in the upper arm is reduced in CAD patients compared to healthy age‐ and fitness‐matched controls; and (2) to examine the association between upper arm venous compliance and total blood volume. Design Fifteen patients with stable CAD (age 62·1 ± 5·7 years, body mass index 26·5 ± 3·2 kg·m2, fat‐free mass 59·3 ± 7·6 kg, mean arterial pressure 98·9 ± 8·0 mmHg, VO2peak: 2·92 ± 0·53 l min−1) were compared to twelve healthy age‐ and fitness‐matched controls (age 62·2 ± 3·7 years, body mass index 26·2 ± 2·3 kg m2, fat‐free mass 61·0 ± 9·2 kg, mean arterial pressure 96·5 ± 9·1 mmHg, VO2peak: 3·24 ± 0·48 l min−1). Venous compliance was examined using high‐resolution ultrasound and Doppler in the basilic vein. Blood volumes were measured by the optimized CO rebreathing method. Results Equal upper arm venous compliance normalized to blood volume (patients: 0·28 ± 0·26 mm3 mmHg−1 l−1, healthy controls: 0·16 ± 0·11 mm3 mmHg−1 l−1) and peak venous outflow normalized to blood volume (patients: 10·4 ± 3·9 cm s−1 l−1, healthy controls: 8·3 ± 0·8 cm s−1 l−1) were found in patients with CAD and healthy age‐ and fitness‐matched controls. Additionally, no difference was found in blood volume (patients: 6·06 ± 0·79 l, healthy controls: 6·68 ± 1·27 l) or VO2peak. Conclusion Comparable upper arm venous compliance and venous outflow in CAD patients and healthy age‐ and fitness‐matched controls might indicate that high VO2peak and blood volume could prevent possible disease‐induced reductions in venous compliance in CAD.