Impact of T Cells on Age-related Vascular Dysfunction: A Translational Approach
Status:
Not yet recruiting
Trial end date:
2024-06-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United
States and other industrialized societies, and advanced age is the major risk factor for
development of CVD. Advancing age appears to exert its pathological influence primarily via
adverse functional and structural effects on arteries. Aging is associated with increased
stiffness (reduced compliance) of large elastic arteries and impaired arterial endothelial
function that is characterized by reductions in nitric oxide (NO)- mediated
endothelium-dependent dilation (EDD). While several changes to arteries may contribute to
age-associated increases in CVD risk; the development of endothelial dysfunction and
stiffening of the large elastic arteries are among the most important contributors. Both are
predictors of CV events and clinical CVD with increasing age. Although the importance of
endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffening with age are well established, the initiating
events of these deleterious changes are elusive.