Introduction to the eighth international workshop on structure and function of the vascular system

摘要

The Eighth International Workshop on Structure and Function of the Vascular System was held in Paris, France, from February 16 through February 18, 2012. In the first editions of this workshop during the 1990s, the focus was on methodologies to assess vascular structure and function in humans, as well as how these changes contribute to cardiovascular risk. We now have well-standardized approaches to assess both large artery and microvascular structure and function. Thus, the focus of the workshop has shifted toward mechanistic studies on how mechanical factors affect arterial remodeling and target-organ damage. In addition, the question of whether pulse wave velocity is an adequate marker for (cardio)vascular disease can now be raised with more experimental evidence to find an answer.