Microvascular Glycocalyx Dimension Estimated by Automated SDF Imaging is not Related to Cardiovascular Disease

OBJECTIVE: The EG regulates vascular homeostasis and has anti-atherogenic properties. SDF imaging allows for noninvasive visualization of microvessels and automated estimation of EG dimensions. We aimed to assess whether microcirculatory EG dimension is related to cardiovascular disease. METHODS: Sublingual EG dimension was estimated by SDF imaging in healthy volunteers and in patients visiting an outpatient clinic for vascular medicine of a university hospital in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. EG dimension was compared among healthy volunteers, patients with CVD, and patients at low (<10%) or high risk (≥ 10%) of CVD according to the Framingham algorithm. RESULTS: In total 120 patients and 30 healthy volunteers were included. Patients had a mean age of 59 ± 14 years, 71 (59%) were men and 24 (20%) were black. Healthy volunteers were on average 28 ± 4 years and 19 (63%) were men. EG dimension was similar in healthy volunteers (2.04 ± 0.23 μm), low-risk patients (2.05 ± 0.24 μm, n = 39), high-risk patients (2.05 ± 0.23 μm, n = 30) and in patients with CVD (2.09 ± 0.21 μm, n = 51, p = 0.79). EG dimension was not correlated with cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Microcirculatory EG dimension, as estimated by automated SDF imaging, is not associated with CVD, suggesting that this technique may not contribute to cardiovascular risk stratification.