Influence of age and normal plasma fibrinogen levels on flow-mediated dilation in healthy adults.

This study examined the effects of age-associated increases in fibrinogen on brachial artery flow-mediated dilation in 30 healthy nonsmokers. The findings demonstrate an inverse association between normal plasma fibrinogen levels and vascular function (r = -0.56, p = 0.001), suggesting elevated plasma fibrinogen may decrease the artery's responsiveness to certain vasodilatory signals, such as shear stress.