Ahmad Enhesari - Associate professor, Radiologist, Radiology department in Afzalipour hospital, Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran
Bizhan Ahmadi - Assistant professor of internal medicine, gastroenterology department, kerman university of medical sciences, kermam, iran
Zahra Heidari - Resident of radiology,kerman university of medical sciences,kerman,iran
Alireza Raji-Amirhasani - Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences Kerman, Iran
Motahareh Zaherara - Ph. D. Student of Anatomical Sciences, Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran and Faculty member of Anatomy Department, school of Medicine, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam, Iran

Background: By examining flow-mediated dilation (FMD) as an index for indirect assessment of arterial endothelial function, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and early atherosclerosis.Methods: This study was performed on ۷۵ patients with ulcerative colitis, ۱۵ patients with Crohn's disease, and ۷۵ healthy individuals as the control group. Vascular endothelial function was assessed by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and Doppler ultrasonography of the right brachial artery. Results: The mean FMD in the IBD patients (۱۲.۰۴±۳.۸) was lower than that of the persons in the control group (۱۶.۶۸±۲.۲). Besides, the mean FMD in Crohn's patients was ۱۲.۰۲±۳.۵ and the corresponding value in the patients with ulcerative colitis was ۱۲.۰۷±۴.۲, showing no significant difference (p = ۰.۷۸). There was a significant relationship between age and FMD in the control group so that with increasing age, FMD decreased (r = ۰.۶, p = ۰.۰۱). However, there was no association between age and FMD among IBD patients. Conclusion: Given that this study focused on people without known risk factors for atherosclerosis, the results pointed to endothelial dysfunction in IBD patients, and IBD can be considered as an independent factor in the development of atherosclerosis.

FMD, IBD, Atherosclerosis