GlycoCheck™ at LM2026: the poster, the paper and the measurement
Welcome to LM2026 · Orlando · November 8–11, 2026
GlycoCheck™
See the glycocalyx. Score it in under five minutes.
Thank you for stopping at our poster, “Integrating Microvascular Glycocalyx Assessment into Lifestyle Medicine.” Here is everything behind it: the six-year study, how the measurement works, and how it fits a lifestyle-medicine practice.
GlycoCheck code
GlycoCalyx codeTwo codes on the poster, one beside each logo. You are on the highlighted one; tap the other to switch.
The poster in sixty seconds
Lifestyle medicine needs a vital sign for the vessels
Lifestyle medicine changes behaviour, then has to show it worked. The poster sets out a practice model that puts the microvasculature, where blood actually meets tissue, on the same footing as blood pressure and HbA1c.
📍 Research poster · LM2026 · Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando
Integrating Microvascular Glycocalyx Assessment into Lifestyle Medicine
- BackgroundTraditional cardiovascular risk models often miss early microvascular dysfunction.
- ObjectiveA practice model that brings non-invasive glycocalyx assessment into lifestyle medicine’s six pillars, for earlier risk detection, patient stratification and targeted intervention.
- MethodSublingual microvascular imaging with GlycoCheck™, measuring glycocalyx integrity as PBR, inside a workflow of risk assessment, measurement, patient education and an individual plan.
- ResultsPatients otherwise rated low or intermediate risk are identified, and patients who can see their own vessels engage with lifestyle change and stick with it.
- ConclusionMicrovascular assessment is a practical, scalable way to detect risk earlier and to track each patient’s response to treatment.
Why it matters
A damaged glycocalyx predicted heart attack and stroke six years out
The forest plot on the poster comes from this study. It is the reason a measurement under the tongue belongs in a prevention clinic.
Impaired Endothelial Glycocalyx Predicts Adverse Outcome in Subjects Without Overt Cardiovascular Disease: a 6-Year Follow-up Study
Ignatios Ikonomidis et al. · Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research, published online October 28, 2021
In plain terms: the researchers measured the glycocalyx under the tongue in 600 adults with no known heart disease, then waited six years. The people whose glycocalyx was damaged at the start were far more likely to have a heart attack, a stroke or a cardiovascular death.
That held after allowing for age, sex, cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure, smoking, family history and medication. Added on top of the European Heart SCORE, the measurement moved 39.7% of people into a more accurate risk group.
Major adverse cardiovascular events: cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction and stroke; 57 occurred during follow-up. Net reclassification improvement 39.7%; C-statistic 0.653 to 0.693 (p < 0.01). The glycocalyx was measured as the perfused boundary region (PBR) in sublingual vessels 5–25 µm across. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04646252. The journal article is subscription access; our page carries the full abstract and a link to it.
How GlycoCheck™ works
A camera under the tongue, a score in five minutes
Every blood vessel is lined with the glycocalyx, a gel-like layer that keeps blood cells off the wall, holds fluid in and signals for nitric oxide. GlycoCheck™ films the smallest vessels under the tongue and measures how intact that layer is.
- Perfused boundary region (PBR)How far red cells push into the glycocalyx. Lower is better.
- Capillary blood volumeHow well the smallest vessels are filled and perfused.
- Red-cell velocityHow quickly blood is moving through them.
See what PBR means
Drag the slider. As the glycocalyx thins, red cells reach closer to the vessel wall and the PBR rises.
An illustration, not a reading. The 2.10 µm cut-off is the threshold for high glycocalyx damage shown in the poster’s forest plot.
The clinical practice model
Measure, act on the pillars, measure again
The workflow from the poster. The measurement does not replace your risk scoring; it adds a direct look at the vessels, and gives the patient something they can see change.
- 01BaselineConventional risk assessment, as you do now.
- 02MeasureA GlycoCheck™ reading: PBR and the MicroVascular Health Score™.
- 03ShowPatient education with their own capillaries on the screen.
- 04PlanAn individual plan across the pillars, plus cardiometabolic optimisation.
- 05Re-measureRepeat the reading to follow the response over time.
The six pillars the plan draws on
- Nutrition
- Physical activity
- Restorative sleep
- Stress management
- Avoiding risky substances
- Positive social connection
- 250+academic research centres using GlycoCheck™ worldwide
- 80+US medical clinic locations and growing
- Class IFDA-registered medical device
- <5 minper reading, non-invasive
See your own numbers
Get your own glycocalyx measured
Clinics across the US offer a GlycoCheck™ reading, and we can show the system in your own practice. Here is what a reading gives you, and how to get one.
- About five minutes, a small camera under the tongue, nothing invasive
- Your PBR and MicroVascular Health Score™, read back with you straight away
- A clinician dashboard and a patient report you can follow over time
- A demonstration for your own practice, arranged around your schedule
Practitioner information
What the system includes, training and how clinics use it day to day.
Find a test location
Clinics across the US already offer a GlycoCheck™ reading.
About GlycoCheck™
The device, the software and the MicroVascular Health Score™ in more depth.
Ask our research library
Ask a question in plain English. The answer is written from the peer-reviewed papers in our library, and every claim links to the paper it came from.
Questions & answers
GlycoCheck™, answered
What does a GlycoCheck™ measurement involve?
A small handheld camera rests under the tongue for a few minutes while it films the blood flowing through the tiny vessels there. No needles, no blood draw and no lab; software analyses the video and the result is ready in under five minutes.
What is PBR?
The perfused boundary region. It measures how far red blood cells can push into the glycocalyx lining the vessel wall. A healthy, thick glycocalyx keeps them out, so lower is better; a higher PBR means a thinner, damaged layer.
What is the MicroVascular Health Score™?
A single score that combines PBR with capillary blood volume and red-cell velocity, so you and your patient can follow microvascular health over time. More on the score.
Why measure under the tongue?
The sublingual vessels are easy to reach and the camera can see them directly. The six-year study on the poster measured exactly these vessels, 5 to 25 µm across, and found they predicted heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death.
Is GlycoCheck™ a medical device?
Yes. The GlycoCheck™ System is FDA Class I registered. It is used to assess microvascular health and to follow changes over time alongside the rest of your clinical picture.
How do I add GlycoCheck™ to my practice?
Request a demonstration and we will arrange it around your schedule. The practitioner purchase sheet has pricing and what is included.
Before you walk on
Take the poster home with you
Conference days are long. Save our details or send this page to a colleague who missed the poster.
GlycoCheck™ is a Class I medical device used to assess microvascular health. Poster: “Integrating Microvascular Glycocalyx Assessment into Lifestyle Medicine,” presented at Lifestyle Medicine 2026, American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Orlando, November 8–11, 2026.
GlycoCalyx Research Institute · 2701 North Thanksgiving Way, Suite 100, Lehi, UT 84043 · 833-42-GLYCO (833-424-5926) · support@glycocalyx.com