ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Ultrasound-measured brachial artery reactive hyperemia in critically ill patients: an observational study
Authors' conclusion
Reactive hyperemia of the brachial artery is impaired in undifferentiated critically ill patients, lower in non-survivors compared to survivors, and independently associated with hospital mortality.
Study context
- Population
- Critically ill patients at a single academic medical center and control subjects without acute illness
- Participants
- 150 vs 44
- Comparison
- Critically ill vs Controls
- Critically illn = 150
- Controlsn = 44reference
- Outcome
- Ultrasound-measured brachial artery reactive hyperemia (RH; % change in pre- vs post-ischemic brachial artery velocity-time integral, Doppler)
Methodological detailssingle-centre
- Single-centre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
RH, critically ill vs controls
P < 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Values | OR (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital death per log unit rise in RH (multivariable, adjusted for age and comorbidities)Not confounded by age or comorbidities | 0.26 (0.08–0.83) | P = 0.02 | ||
| 0.050.21520Odds ratio (log scale) |
| Outcome | Values | P value |
|---|---|---|
| RH, critically ill vs control subjectsRH impaired in critically ill | P < 0.001 | |
| RH, septic vs non-septic patientsSimilar | Septic mean 196 (95% CI 177–217) · Non-septic mean 199 (95% CI 170–233) | P = 0.88 |
| RH change over 3-5 days, survivors and non-survivors (sub-sample)Survivors, follow-up vs Survivors, baseline · RH improved in survivors | Survivors mean 204 (95% CI 180–232) · Survivors mean 239 (95% CI 208–275) · Non-survivors mean 133 (95% CI 107–165) · Non-survivors mean 128 (95% CI 75–220) | P = 0.02 |
- Reactive hyperemia (RH) change over 3-5 days, survivors and non-survivors (sub-sample): each group: first value baseline, second value at 3-5 days
- RH change over 3-5 days, survivors and non-survivors (sub-sample): survivors n = 63; non-survivors n = 11
RH change over 3-5 days, survivors and non-survivors (sub-sample)
- RH did not change in non-survivors
Original publication
Ultrasound-measured brachial artery reactive hyperemia in critically ill patients: an observational study. Crit Care. Published 25 September 2025. doi:10.
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