Microvascular Research[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
The possible role of PCSK9 inhibitors in cardiac syndrome X: Bridging microvascular dysfunction, endothelial pathobiology, and molecular pharmacotherapy.
Sweilam SH, Al-Kuraishy HM, Mustafa AM … +3 more , Hassan SM, Alsharari R, Batiha GE
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41740668 · Publisher ↗
Cardiac syndrome X (CSX), historically used to describe angina with normal coronary angiography and now largely encompassed within microvascular angina and INOCA, is an ischemic disorder characterized by angina pectoris...
Cardiac syndrome X (CSX), historically used to describe angina with normal coronary angiography and now largely encompassed within microvascular angina and INOCA, is an ischemic disorder characterized by angina pectoris without narrowing of coronary arteries. CSX, which primarily affects postmenopausal women, is driven by coronary micro-vascular dysfunction, endothelial impairment, oxidative stress, and chronic low-grade inflammation. Notably, the Conventional anti-anginal therapies often yield limited symptom relief, underscoring the need for novel mechanism-based approaches. Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has emerged as a pivotal mediator linking dyslipidemia to endothelial dysfunction, oxidative injury, and vascular inflammation. Elevated PCSK9 suppresses endothelial nitric oxide synthase, enhances reactive oxygen species generation, promotes cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α, and increases platelet activation. Therefore, PCSK9 inhibitors such as alirocumab, evolocumab, and inclisiran, have been shown to improve endothelial function, reduce arterial stiffness, and attenuate oxidative and inflammatory stress. Consequently, PCSK9 inhibition may be a promising therapeutic strategy for CSX. Thus, this review aimed to discuss and explain the potential role of PCSK9 in the pathogenesis of CSX, and how PCSK9 inhibitors could be effective in managing patients with CSX.
Carbon dioxide vs. warm-water hand baths in systemic sclerosis with secondary Raynaud's syndrome - A capillaroscopy centered randomized controlled trial.
Schulz N, Hermann W, Müller-Ladner U … +2 more , Lange U, Klemm P
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41724373 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) affects nearly all patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and causes substantial morbidity and functional impairment. We evaluated the immediate, segment-specific microvascular effec...
BACKGROUND: Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) affects nearly all patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and causes substantial morbidity and functional impairment. We evaluated the immediate, segment-specific microvascular effects of a single carbon dioxide (CO₂) versus warm water hand baths in SSc with secondary RP, including healthy controls as physiological reference. METHODS: In this single-centre, randomized controlled trial, 24 SSc patients were allocated (1:1) to a 15-min CO₂ bath (2 g/L, 35 °C) or warm water bath (40-42 °C). Twelve healthy controls received a CO bath. Nailfold capillaroscopy assessed vas afferens (VA), apex, and vas efferens (VE) diameters at baseline, immediately, and 10 min post-intervention. Primary outcome was immediate diameter change; secondary outcomes were persistence and between-cohort differences. RESULTS: After CO₂ baths, mean VA diameter increased by 3.31 μm (95% CI [2.23,4.38]; p < 0.001) and VE by 3.83 μm (95% CI [2.28,5.39]; p < 0.001), both exceeding changes after warm water in SSc patients (p < 0.001; p = 0.005). CO induced dilation in healthy controls, but VA increase was smaller than after CO₂ in SSc (p = 0.010). At 10 min, VA remained higher in the CO₂ vs. water group (p = 0.006). No adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: A single CO₂ hand bath induced greater and partly sustained nailfold capillary dilation of the arterial limb and apex than warm water in SSc-associated RP. The lack of response to warm water suggests impaired heat-induced vasodilation in SSc, whereas CO₂ may engage alternative vasodilatory mechanisms. These findings support CO₂ hand baths as a safe, low-cost, non-pharmacological adjunct. Larger trials with clinical endpoints are warranted.
Hyperosmotic stress-induced impairment of erythrocyte deformability correlates with reduced aerobic capacity in end-stage renal disease.
Huang YC, Huang SC, Fang JT … +4 more , Hsiao CC, Lin YT, Weng TP, Wang JS
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41722646 · Publisher ↗
INTRODUCTION: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) causes osmotic imbalance, impairing erythrocyte deformability and microcirculation. Hyperosmotic challenge disrupts calcium homeostasis, which may dysregulate Gardos channels...
INTRODUCTION: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) causes osmotic imbalance, impairing erythrocyte deformability and microcirculation. Hyperosmotic challenge disrupts calcium homeostasis, which may dysregulate Gardos channels and contribute to erythrocyte dehydration. This study explores the relationship between erythrocyte osmotic deformability and aerobic capacity in ESRD. METHODS: Eighteen ESRD patients and eighteen age-matched healthy controls underwent a cardiopulmonary exercise test with pre-test blood sampling. Erythrocyte osmotic deformability was assessed via osmotic gradient ektacytometry, while flow cytometry quantified Gardos channel (KCNN4) expression, senescence biomarkers, erythrocyte shape, and intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca]). RESULTS: The ESRD group had lower VO, erythrocyte count, hemoglobin, and erythrocyte sphericity indices, with lower CD47 and CD147 expression. Osmoscan revealed impaired hyperosmotic deformability, with reduced EImax, Omax, Ohyper, and AUC, all positively correlated with VO in ESRD patients (EImax: r = 0.50, p < 0.05; Omax: r = 0.60, p < 0.01; Ohyper: r = 0.58, p < 0.05; AUC: r = 0.52, p < 0.05). KCNN4, PIEZO1, and [Ca] were elevated in ESRD. t-BHP exposure induced a greater [Ca] increase in ESRD. KCNN4 correlated positively with [Ca] but negatively with Omin, Omax, Ohyper, EImax, MCV, CD47 and CD147. EImax from non-osmotic test showed no correlation with KCNN4. No correlations were found in controls. CONCLUSION: ESRD patients exhibit heightened susceptibility to hyperosmotic stress, which is positively associated with impaired erythrocyte deformability and reduced aerobic capacity. Within the ESRD cohort, higher Gardos channel expression was associated with lower hyperosmotic deformability indices, and oxidative stress elicited a greater rise in intracellular calcium.
OPU-NET-DADENA: Optimized deep learning ensemble with u-net segmentation for early detection of diabetic retinopathy.
Kavitha N, Sridevi S
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41720334 · Publisher ↗
One of the most significant microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) is diabetic retinopathy (DR). In the early stages, patients with DR may not exhibit any noticeable symptoms. It is a diabetic disorder tha...
One of the most significant microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) is diabetic retinopathy (DR). In the early stages, patients with DR may not exhibit any noticeable symptoms. It is a diabetic disorder that damages retinal blood vessels in the eyes. At first, there are no symptoms or sporadic visual issues. When it worsens, it affects both eyes and can lead to partial or total blindness. A person who already has DM is therefore constantly at a higher risk of developing the condition. Early identification can prevent the possibility of total and irreversible blindness. Therefore, needs an efficient and early diagnosis system. So, this paper proposes a new deep-learning methodology in a specific Deep Siamese DenseNet for early detection of DR. The proposed method is accomplished through various steps, such as Data Collection, Preprocessing, Augmentation, Segmentation, Feature Extraction, Feature Selection, and Detection. An adaptive histogram equalization approach named Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) is used to preprocess input images, which reduces amplification of noise. Then, the segmentation is done by the Optimized U-NETs. Next, features of the contrasted retinal images are extracted by residual attention EfficientNet (RA-EfficientNet). Then, the optimal features are selected by a hybrid Reptile Search Algorithm (RORS). Finally, the deep learning methodology includes DarkNet, DenseNet 201, and NasNetMobile used to detect diabetic retinopathy at an early stage. The model is implemented in MATLAB and evaluated using accuracy, precision, F-score, specificity, sensitivity, MCC, NPV, FPR, and FNR. The proposed approach achieves 99.33% accuracy and 98.32% precision, outperforming previous methods that reported accuracies of 95-97% and precisions of 94-96%, demonstrating its effectiveness for reliable early detection of DR.
Sepsis-induced coagulopathy is associated with impaired tissue oxygen extraction and microvascular reactivity: a prospective observational study.
Domizi R, Carsetti A, Antolini R … +7 more , Casarotta E, Scorcella C, Zuccari S, Vitali E, Adrario E, Donati A, Damiani E
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41720333 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Coagulopathy is a key driver of organ dysfunction during sepsis/septic shock, yet its relationship with microcirculatory autoregulation is not fully characterized. This study aimed to evaluate the association...
BACKGROUND: Coagulopathy is a key driver of organ dysfunction during sepsis/septic shock, yet its relationship with microcirculatory autoregulation is not fully characterized. This study aimed to evaluate the association between sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) and alterations in tissue oxygenation, oxygen extraction capacity and microvascular reactivity. METHODS: Prospective observational study on 23 adult septic patients. Coagulation status was evaluated with standard laboratory parameters and thromboelastography (TEG). A SIC score ≥ 4 was used to identify the presence of coagulopathy. The peripheral (skeletal muscle) tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) was assessed using thenar near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). By combining a vascular occlusion test, the desaturation rate during ischemia was assessed as an index of oxygen extraction capacity: this was measured separately for the first (StO2 downslope-1) and last part (StO2 downslope-2) of the desaturation curve, and the difference between the two was calculated (delta-downslope). The reoxygenation rate (StO2 upslope) and the area of the hyperemic phase were calculated to evaluate microvascular reactivity. RESULTS: In patients with SIC, the delta-downslope was higher (1.7 ± 2.5 versus -0.8 ± 3.2, p = 0.049) and the StO2 upslope was reduced (96 ± 74 versus 185 ± 91, p = 0.017), suggesting altered tissue oxygen extraction capacity and microvascular reactivity. Both parameters were able to discriminate the presence of SIC in the receiver operating characteristics curve analysis. Negative correlations were found between StO2 downslope-1 and TEG maximum amplitude (r = -0.470, p = 0.023), and Delta-Downslope and platelet count (r = -0.527, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: SIC is associated with alterations in peripheral tissue oxygen extraction capacity and microvascular reactivity.
STARD4-AS1 promotes coronary artery disease and modulates endothelial dysfunction by targeting miR-204-3p/FLI1.
Li Y, Liu L
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41707955 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the primary cause of mortality and disability-adjusted life years lost worldwide. This study focuses on elucidating the expression, cell functions, and possible regulator...
BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the primary cause of mortality and disability-adjusted life years lost worldwide. This study focuses on elucidating the expression, cell functions, and possible regulatory mechanisms of the steroidogenic acute regulator protein-related lipid transfer domain containing 4-antisense RNA 1 (STARD4-AS1) in CAD. METHODS: GSE113079 dataset was used to identify the studied lncRNA. Serum STARD4-AS1 levels were quantified by RT-qPCR in a cohort of 88 CAD patients and 72 healthy participants. In vitro functional assays were performed in human primary coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) under hypoxia following transfection with STARD4-AS1 siRNA. The cell function assays encompassed monocyte adhesion, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). A downstream miRNA for STARD4-AS1 was predicted and validated via dual-luciferase reporter assays. Rescue experiments were conducted for the function assays of STARD4-AS1/miRNA axis. RESULTS: GSE113079 dataset revealed a significant elevation of STARD4-AS1 in CAD peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In CAD serum, STARD4-AS1 level was elevated. The STARD4-AS1 upregulation was positively correlated with LDL-C levels and had a diagnostic value for CAD. Under hypoxia, the knockdown of STARD4-AS1 mitigated the LDH release, MDA levels, the intracellular LDL-C content, and monocyte adhesion to HCAECs. MiR-204-3p was identified as a target miRNA for STARD4-AS1, while Friend leukemia virus integration 1 (FLI1) was a target gene for miR-204-3p. MiR-204-3p inhibition can offset the functions of STARD4-AS1 suppression on HCAECs exposed to hypoxic conditions. CONCLUSION: STARD4-AS1 can regulate endothelial cell functions under hypoxic conditions. This study highlights its potential as a novel therapeutic target and a promising circulating biomarker candidate for CAD.
Inflammation-driven microvascular dysfunction: Integrating endothelial signaling, structural remodeling, and organ-specific outcomes.
Okada H
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41672275 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Wide-field nailfold capillary image deblurring method based on an improved MIMO-UNet.
Guo P, Zhou B, Feng S … +7 more , Sun Q, Luo J, Lin J, Huang Y, Li L, Wu Y, Wang C
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41654175 · Publisher ↗
The morphology of nailfold capillaries serves as a crucial physiological parameter for analyzing human health status. However, during image acquisition, factors such as the nonplanar structure of the finger, lens depth-o...
The morphology of nailfold capillaries serves as a crucial physiological parameter for analyzing human health status. However, during image acquisition, factors such as the nonplanar structure of the finger, lens depth-of-field limitations, and inaccurate focusing often cause defocusing and blurring, hindering physicians' observation of capillary structures and parameter measurements. To address this issue, this study proposes a wide-field nailfold capillary image deblurring method based on an improved MIMO-UNet architecture. In this study, a nailfold capillary dataset suitable for supervised learning was successfully constructed using image registration. During the deblurring process, a semantic residual feedback mechanism was introduced, which effectively enhanced the restoration accuracy of fine structures such as capillary loop edges and morphology. Additionally, a blurred-region attention module was designed to precisely identify blurred areas in nailfold images and prioritize the restoration of challenging regions, yielding clearer and more detailed capillary images. Experimental results demonstrated that the improved model achieves 3.82% and 0.22% higher PSNR and SSIM scores, respectively, compared with the original MIMO-UNet, while reducing MSE by 60.2%. Compared with other existing deblurring methods, this approach achieved the best performance in both accuracy and structural restoration of nailfold capillary images. Furthermore, static parameter measurements comparing deblurred images with real images show that differences in apical diameter, arterial limb diameter, and venous limb diameter are less than 0.995 μm, far below the physiological variation range. In summary, the proposed method demonstrates superior performance in both static parameter measurement accuracy and detailed restoration precision for nailfold images.
Dose-dependent effects of diamide and glutaraldehyde on red blood cell deformability, viscosity, and morphology.
Turcitu T, Champagne K, Le AV … +1 more , Fenech M
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41651143 · Publisher ↗
Red blood cells (RBC) deformability enables passage through capillaries, ensuring efficient microcirculatory flow and oxygen transport. Impaired deformability contributes to vascular complications and is associated with...
Red blood cells (RBC) deformability enables passage through capillaries, ensuring efficient microcirculatory flow and oxygen transport. Impaired deformability contributes to vascular complications and is associated with conditions such as sickle cell anemia, hereditary spherocytosis, and diabetes. Diamide and glutaraldehyde are commonly used in vitro to simulate pathological rigidity, yet their dose-dependent effects on RBC mechanics remain incompletely characterized. This study investigates the effects of diamide (10-200 μM) and glutaraldehyde (8-159,800 μM) on RBC morphology, deformability and viscosity at 20% hematocrit (HCT). Deformability was assessed by ektacytometry, viscosity by microfluidic viscometry, and morphology by defocusing microscopy with sphericity analysis. Osmolality and HCT were also measured to link the mechanical changes observed. Diamide produced a biphasic response: the maximum elongation index (EIₘₐₓ) decreased up to 140 μM, then partially recovered at higher concentrations. This coincided with increased sphericity, reduced cell volume and surface area, decreased HCT from hemolysis, and a non-monotonous viscosity profile. These effects reflect the combined influence of oxidative stress, vesiculation, and altered cell geometry. In contrast, glutaraldehyde induced an abrupt and irreversible loss of deformability at ≥7990 μM, while morphology and osmolality remained stable. HCT values were consistently lower across concentrations, which we attribute to reduced microtube filling efficiency by rigidified cells. Despite near-zero EIₘₐₓ at high concentrations, viscosity changes were modest due to extreme rigidification. These findings show that viscosity is governed not only by deformability but also by morphology, hemolysis and suspension dynamics.
BEADS: An interactive semi-automated workflow for 3D fibrin angiogenesis assays enabling co-culture and directionality analysis.
Gonyea CR, Hayward-Piatkovskyi B, Gleghorn JP
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41643886 · Full text
3D fibrin bead angiogenesis assays are widely used to study endothelial sprouting in vitro, yet current analytical approaches are either time-consuming or poorly adaptable to complex imaging conditions, limiting quantita...
3D fibrin bead angiogenesis assays are widely used to study endothelial sprouting in vitro, yet current analytical approaches are either time-consuming or poorly adaptable to complex imaging conditions, limiting quantitative assessment of co-cultures, spatial interactions, and nearest-neighbor-dependent angiogenic behavior. In this study, we developed a semi-automated user-interactive image analysis pipeline, Bead-based Endothelial Angiogenesis Data Suite (BEADS), to provide standardized quantitative bead-centric metrics of sprouting, migration, and spatial orientation in 3D fibrin angiogenesis assays. BEADS integrates automated bead detection with manual correction, followed by guided sprout and migratory-cell annotation across multi-channel image z-stacks. Novel analytical capabilities include co-culture designation, nearest-neighbor pairing, and circular statistics for sprout-directionality quantification. Performance was evaluated in assays using co-cultured male and female human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell (HPMEC)-coated beads. BEADS reduced hands-on analysis time approximately sevenfold compared with manual tracing while preserving sprout-length accuracy against manual ground truth. BEADS provides a standardized, extensible platform for microvascular image analysis, supporting co-culture experimentation, spatial endothelial-interaction metrics, migratory-cell quantification, and high-throughput adaptation. This semi-automated workflow enables quantitative microvascular research by integrating computational precision with endothelial behavior and is broadly applicable to angiogenesis assays that incorporate co-cultures, perturbations, or multi-label experimental designs.
Tumor-induced radial vascular patterning in the chick chorioallantoic membrane.
Chamoto K, Pan JM, Cho JM … +3 more , Khalil HA, Ackermann M, Mentzer SJ
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41620020 · Full text
Tumor implantation on the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) produces a characteristic radial or "starburst" microvascular pattern, classically attributed to tumor angiogenesis factor-driven sprouting. Here, we investi...
Tumor implantation on the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) produces a characteristic radial or "starburst" microvascular pattern, classically attributed to tumor angiogenesis factor-driven sprouting. Here, we investigated the structural and functional basis of this pattern using intravital fluorescence microscopy, particle tracking, corrosion casting, scanning electron microscopy, and transcriptional profiling across 13 tumor cell lines. Eight cell lines successfully engrafted; six formed localized tumor masses associated with a rapid, well-defined radial vascular pattern evident within three days, while two exhibited diffuse, infiltrative growth with generalized capillary hypertrophy. Functional imaging revealed preferential flow paths, capillary loops, and U-turn particle trajectories at tumor margins. Structural analysis demonstrated that radial vessels arose predominantly from intussusceptive angiogenesis, with vessel duplication and intraluminal pillar formation, rather than endothelial proliferation alone. In contrast, diffuse tumors lacked radial organization despite robust capillary hypertrophy. Bulk transcriptional profiling failed to identify a distinctive angiogenic gene signature. These findings demonstrate that intussusceptive duplication underlies tumor-induced radial vascular patterning in the CAM.
A visualization of inhibitory effects on VEGF-mediated signaling pathway in proliferating endothelial cells in neonatal mouse retina.
Morita A, Miyanaga K, Nakahara T
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41592636 · Publisher ↗
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promotes physiological and pathological retinal angiogenesis by activating the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway in proliferating endothelial cells. This s...
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promotes physiological and pathological retinal angiogenesis by activating the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway in proliferating endothelial cells. This study aimed to visualize the status of the VEGF receptor (VEGFR) pathway in endothelial cells by assessing the phosphorylation of S6 protein (pS6), a downstream marker of mTORC1 activity, in the neonatal mouse retina. Four-day-old mice received subcutaneous injections of rapamycin (mTORC1 inhibitor), PF-4708671 (S6 kinase 1 inhibitor), KRN633 (VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor), or vehicle. The eyes were collected 1, 3, 6, 24, and 48 h after treatment. The vascular density, pS6 distribution, and proliferative activity were evaluated in the retina. pS6 immunoreactivity was detected in developing blood vessels, astrocytes, and microglial cells. Both rapamycin and PF-4708671 almost completely abolished pS6 immunoreactivity in vascular and non-vascular cells 6 h after treatment and thereafter suppressed endothelial cell proliferation before the onset of capillary degeneration. In contrast, KRN633 markedly reduced pS6 immunoreactivity associated with endothelial cells, but not in non-vascular cells at 6 h post-treatment; however, capillary endothelial cell degeneration became apparent at 24 h. These results suggest that VEGFR inhibition disrupts the mTORC1 pathway in endothelial cells within 6 h of treatment, causing endothelial cell degeneration or death in developing retinal blood vessels. Monitoring changes in pS6 immunoreactivity before the onset of endothelial cell degeneration may serve as a valuable method for assessing endothelial responses to VEGF in the retina.
Practical method for endothelial glycocalyx imaging in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues in vascular pathology.
Mori K, Tomita H, Kuno M … +12 more , Iida T, Yamakita Y, Takada C, Kuriyama A, Nakamura S, Shimazawa M, Hirose T, Sakakibara M, Suga H, Sugie S, Okada H, Hara A
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41581550 · Publisher ↗
The endothelial glycocalyx (eGCX), a delicate carbohydrate-rich layer coating the vascular endothelium, critically regulates vascular homeostasis, controlling permeability, thrombosis, and inflammation. Despite its funda...
The endothelial glycocalyx (eGCX), a delicate carbohydrate-rich layer coating the vascular endothelium, critically regulates vascular homeostasis, controlling permeability, thrombosis, and inflammation. Despite its fundamental importance, assessing the morphology of the eGCX remains technically challenging because of its fragile structure, which collapses during conventional fixation. Existing visualization methods require complex preparation, expensive equipment, and fresh tissues, severely limiting accessibility and clinical applicability. Here, we present a practical approach for visualizing and semi-quantitatively phenotyping the eGCX using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections prepared via specialized Alcian blue fixation, followed by strategic integration of silver enhancement staining and low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy. The proposed method enabled robust visualization of eGCX across multiple vascular beds, including brain parenchymal vessels, choroid plexus fenestrated capillaries, and retinal vasculature, along with a thickness-based index suitable for between-condition comparisons among FFPE sections. The technique demonstrated high sensitivity in detecting pathological alterations, evidenced by near-complete eGCX loss in retinal vein occlusion models with significant reductions in thickness and lectin fluorescence intensity. Finally, the workflow was successfully applied to human colorectal surgical specimens processed via immediate Alcian blue immersion fixation, enabling visualization of vascular eGCX in FFPE clinical sections. Overall, these findings support an accessible FFPE-compatible approach for wide-field eGCX imaging and pathology-oriented phenotyping.
Associations of sleep duration and nocturnal oxygenation with OCT-derived retinal arterial structure.
Xiang R, Muraoka Y, Murase K … +20 more , Kogo T, Sato S, Hidaka Y, Akada M, Mori Y, Hata M, Miyake M, Nagasaki T, Matsumoto T, Sunadome H, Hamada S, Takahashi N, Wakamura T, Komenami N, Tabara Y, Morita S, Hirai T, Matsuda F, Chin K, Tsujikawa A
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41581549 · Publisher ↗
PURPOSE: To examine the associations of objectively measured sleep parameters (sleep duration, efficiency, and nocturnal oxygen desaturation) with retinal arterial structure assessed using optical coherence tomography (O...
PURPOSE: To examine the associations of objectively measured sleep parameters (sleep duration, efficiency, and nocturnal oxygen desaturation) with retinal arterial structure assessed using optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 5991 adults from the community-based Nagahama Study in Japan (2012-2016). All participants underwent OCT and wrist actigraphy. Retinal arterial outer diameter (OD), inner diameter (ID), and wall thickness were measured from peripapillary OCT B-scans. Sleep period time (SPT) and sleep efficiency (defined as total sleep time divided by SPT) were derived from actigraphy. Nocturnal oxygen desaturation was evaluated using the 3% oxygen desaturation index (3%ODI) obtained from synchronized actigraphy and oximetry recordings. Associations between retinal arterial parameters and sleep/oxygenation metrics were evaluated using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for demographic, ocular, and systemic covariates. RESULTS: Among 5991 participants (mean age 57.6 years; 30.6% male), shorter sleep duration was associated with narrower retinal arterial diameters (OD: β = 0.399; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.165-0.632; ID: β = 0.402; 95% CI, 0.188-0.616). Higher 3%ODI were associated with thicker arterial walls (β = 0.121; 95% CI, 0.050-0.192) and wider OD (β = 0.431; 95% CI, 0.003-0.859). Sleep efficiency showed no significant associations with any vascular parameter. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep duration and nocturnal oxygen desaturation showed distinct associations with retinal arterial characteristics. OCT-based vascular metrics may serve as noninvasive indicators of sleep-related microvascular alterations.
Blood viscosity - The unifying cardiovascular disease risk biomarker.
Finlayson E
Microvasc Res · 2026 Mar · PMID 41548751 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus with anti-centromere antibodies and diffuse nailfold capillary enlargement: A rheumatologic signal beyond physiological variability.
Nigro A
Microvasc Res · 2026 Mar · PMID 41544994 · Publisher ↗
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Distribution and microstructure of the endothelial glycocalyx in the blood-brain barrier.
Chung K, Kim JG, Choe C … +1 more , Jeong S
Microvasc Res · 2026 May · PMID 41544993 · Publisher ↗
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Quantitative evaluation of retinal vascular morphology based on the human visual bionic mechanism for the evaluation of diabetic retinopathy onset.
Xu Y, Wu Y, Ling S … +6 more , Dong Z, Ke X, Lu L, Ye Z, Song J, Zou H
Microvasc Res · 2026 Mar · PMID 41506538 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A limited amount of diabetic retinopathy (DR) development can be explained by traditional risk factors. This study aimed to determine the association of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted retinal...
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A limited amount of diabetic retinopathy (DR) development can be explained by traditional risk factors. This study aimed to determine the association of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted retinal vasculature measurement parameters with DR onset in adults with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: This observational cohort study was conducted in 556 patients with type 2 diabetes without DR who underwent general and ophthalmological examinations. Their blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and glycosylated hemoglobin levels were measured. An AI-based fundus image analysis system was used to assess vessel tortuosity, fractal dimension, and retinal arteriolar/venular diameters in different regions. RESULTS: At the end of the observation period, 299 patients remained free of DR (control group), whereas 257 developed DR (progression group). The retinal arteriolar caliber, venular caliber, arteriolar tortuosity, and venular tortuosity did not differ significantly between the groups at baseline (P > 0.05). However, DR onset was significantly correlated with retinal arteriolar caliber, fractal dimensions, and retinal venular tortuosity (P < 0.05). The widening of the retinal arteriolar diameter within the 1.5-2.0 PD region of the optical disc center was the strongest predictor of DR development. It also improved the performance of the DR onset prediction model compared with those using traditional risk factors alone. CONCLUSIONS: AI-assisted retinal vasculature measurements were associated with DR onset and progression. In addition to increased retinal venular tortuosity and fractal dimension, retinal arteriolar caliber within the 1.5-2.0 PD may serve as a valuable biomarker of early vascular dysfunction and increased DR risk.
Erythrocyte rheology under anesthesia: Insights from glycated and non-glycated red blood cells.
Batista da Silva MV, Castellini HV, Alet NA … +2 more , Riquelme BD, Alet AI
Microvasc Res · 2026 Mar · PMID 41443463 · Publisher ↗
Hemorheological alterations in diabetes mellitus complicate surgical outcomes. This study investigated the rheological effects of commonly used anesthetic drugs (propofol, remifentanil, vecuronium, and their combinations...
Hemorheological alterations in diabetes mellitus complicate surgical outcomes. This study investigated the rheological effects of commonly used anesthetic drugs (propofol, remifentanil, vecuronium, and their combinations) on healthy human erythrocytes and on glycated erythrocytes in vitro to simulate diabetic hyperglycemia. Experiments were performed using an erythrocyte rheometer, an optical aggregometer, and digital image analysis. The results demonstrate that these anesthetic drugs increase erythrocyte aggregation. Propofol and its combinations showed a possible synergistic effect, resulting in the formation of larger aggregates. Viscoelasticity analysis of non-glycated erythrocytes showed that propofol alone increased the elastic modulus. Conversely, the combination of propofol, remifentanil, and vecuronium decreased the erythrocyte stationary storage modulus, suggesting possible interactions with the cytoskeleton and lipid bilayer. In glycated erythrocytes, the same drug combinations did not significantly affect viscoelastic parameters. These findings indicate that these drugs, when evaluated at clinically relevant concentrations, affect hemorheological parameters differently in non-glycated and glycated erythrocytes. These results provide information that could help in understanding microvascular complications in diabetic patients during and after surgical procedures.
Comparative analysis of retinal and choroidal microvascular characteristics by gender in myopic children: A SS-OCTA study.
Guo T, He M, Zhou F … +4 more , Zhang R, Xu Y, Chen Z, Hua D
Microvasc Res · 2026 Mar · PMID 41429262 · Publisher ↗
PURPOSE: To investigate gender differences in retinal and choroidal thickness and vascular density (VD) among myopic children using swept-source OCT angiography (SS-OCTA). METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 673...
PURPOSE: To investigate gender differences in retinal and choroidal thickness and vascular density (VD) among myopic children using swept-source OCT angiography (SS-OCTA). METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 673 Chinese myopic children (8-16 years; 305 males, 368 females). Macular and optic disc regions were imaged. Parameters were compared using ANCOVA adjusted for age and refractive error, with supplementary partial correlation analyses. RESULTS: Females showed significantly lower foveal and parafoveal superficial vascular complex (SVC) and macular choriocapillaris (CC) VD (all P < 0.05). Axial length (AL) correlated positively with foveal and parafoveal thickness and VD, and negatively in the perifovea (all P < 0.05).It also positively correlated with RNFL and GCC thickness, SVC, and RPC VD in temporal optic-disc sectors (r = 0.11 to 0.19, P < 0.01), and negatively in nasal sectors (r = -0.11 to -0.23, P < 0.01). In males, correlations between AL and foveal SVC VD (Z = -2.53, P < 0.05), AL and parafoveal deep vascular complex VD (Z = -2.34, P < 0.05), and SE and perifoveal CC VD (Z = -2.82, P < 0.01) were significantly stronger. CONCLUSIONS: Females exhibited reduced SVC and CC VD. Both genders showed significant associations between refractive parameters and vascular parameters, with partially stronger correlations observed in males. These gender differences in ocular blood flow suggest that gender may influence vascular alterations associated with myopia, warranting further research. Recognition of gender-based differences in ocular vasculature and structure may inform individualized myopia-control strategies and improve treatment efficacy across genders.
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