BackgroundAugmentation index, a marker of central wave reflection, is influenced by age, sex, height, blood pressure, heart rate, and arterial stiffness. However, the detailed haemodynamic determinants of augmentation index, and their relations, remain uncertain. We examined the association of augmentation index with vascular resistance and other haemodynamic and non-haemodynamic factors.MethodsBackground information, laboratory values, and haemodynamics of 488 subjects (239 men, 249 women) without antihypertensive medication were obtained. Indices of central wave reflection, systemic vascular resistance, cardiac function, and pulse wave velocity were measured using continuous radial pulse wave analysis and whole-body impedance cardiography.ResultsIn a regression model including only haemodynamic variables, augmentation index in males and female subjects, respectively, was associated with systemic vascular resistance (β = 0.425, β = 0.336), pulse wave velocity (β = 0.409, β = 0.400) (P < 0.001 for all), stroke volume (β = 0.256, β = 0.278) (P = 0.001 for both) and heart rate (β = −0.150, β = −0.156) (P = 0.049 and P = 0.036). When age, height, weight, smoking habits, and laboratory values were included in the regression model, the most significant explanatory variables for augmentation index in males and females, respectively, were age (β = 0.577, β = 0.557) and systemic vascular resistance (β = 0.437, β = 0.295) (P < 0.001 for all). In the final regression model, pulse wave velocity was not a significant explanatory variable for augmentation index, probably due to the high correlation of this variable with age (Spearman’s correlation ≥0.617).ConclusionAugmentation index is strongly associated with systemic vascular resistance in addition to arterial stiffness.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01742702.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12872-016-0303-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The authors examined the association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration creatinine‐cystatin C equation, and hemodynamics in 556 normotensive or never‐treated hypertensive patients without kidney disease (mean age, 46 years). Hemodynamic variables were recorded using pulse wave analysis and whole‐body impedance cardiography. The mean eGFR was 98 mL/min/1.73 m2 (range, 64–145 mL/min/1.73 m2 and one third of the patients had values below 92, while none had proteinuria. In linear regression analyses adjusted for differences in age, weight:height ratio, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and sex, significant associations were found between lower eGFR and higher systolic (P=.001) and diastolic blood pressure (P<.001) and higher systemic vascular resistance (P=.001). There was no association between eGFR and cardiac output or extracellular volume. In the absence of clinical kidney disease, lower eGFR was associated with higher blood pressure and systemic vascular resistance. Therefore, early impairment in kidney function may be involved in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension.

Objectives: Most studies about upright regulation of blood pressure have focused on orthostatic hypotension despite the diverse hemodynamic changes induced by orthostatic challenge. We investigated the effect of passive head-up tilt on aortic blood pressure.Methods: Noninvasive peripheral and central hemodynamics in 613 volunteers without cardiovascular morbidities or medications were examined using pulse wave analysis, whole-body impedance cardiography and heart rate variability analysis.Results: In all participants, mean aortic SBP decreased by À4 (À5 to À3) mmHg [mean (95% confidence intervals)] and DBP increased by 6 (5-6) mmHg in response to upright posture. When divided into tertiles according to the supineto-upright change in aortic SBP, two tertiles presented with a decrease [À15 (À14 to À16) and À4 (À3 to À4) mmHg, respectively] whereas one tertile presented with an increase [R7 (7-8) mmHg] in aortic SBP. There were no major differences in demographic characteristics between the tertiles. In regression analysis, the strongest explanatory factors for upright changes in aortic SBP were the supine values of, and upright changes in systemic vascular resistance and cardiac output, and supine aortic SBP. Conclusion:In participants without cardiovascular disease, the changes in central SBP during orthostatic challenge are not uniform. One-third presented with higher upright than supine aortic SBP with underlying differences in the regulation of systemic vascular resistance and cardiac output. These findings emphasize that resting blood pressure measurements give only limited information about the blood pressure status.

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