Examining the Brachial Artery Reactivity Curve Measured by B-Mode Ultrasound in the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) Pilot Study

Brachial artery reactivity was assessed in the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) Pilot Study using B-mode ultrasound. Carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), a known subclinical predictor of cardiovascular disease, also was examined in relation to brachial artery reactivity. A continuous scan was performed on the artery for 8 min (1 min of baseline, 4 min of cuff inflation at 40 mmHg greater than systolic pressure, 3 min after cuff release). The sample for analysis (n = 78; 43 men, 35 women) consisted of active-duty police officers from a larger sample in the BCOPS pilot study. Means and standard deviations (SDs) stratified by gender were calculated, along with Pearson's correlations between brachial variables, and with CIMT. Arterial diameters (baseline, pre-cuff release, peak) were significantly different ( p < 0.001) between men and women. Peak arterial dilation occurred at 50.77 ± 21.97 sec (49.67 ± 20.22 cardiac cycles) after cuff deflation in men, and 44.66 ± 24.07 sec (44.57 ± 20.36 cardiac cycles) after cuff deflation in women. Mean common carotid artery IMT and mean maximum IMT of all carotid sites were significantly correlated ( p < 0.01) in men (r = 0.691) and women (r = 0.450). Brachial reactivity measures were inversely correlated with CIMT in women, and in contrast, positively correlated in men.