Assessment of aortic stiffness by local and regional methods

Abstract

The stiffness of large arteries has an important role in cardiovascular hemodynamics. Aortic stiffness (AoStiff) can be assessed non-invasively with regional and local methods. In this paper, we compared these two techniques for evaluating AoStiff. Our subjects comprised of 118 consecutive patients (85 men, mean age: 49 ± 14 years). We evaluated regional AoStiff with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) measured with a tonometric technique and by bioelectrical impedance (BI) wave velocity (IWV). The local AoStiff was calculated from BI signals recorded at the chest. We used glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) to test the effect of peripheral vasodilatation on both methods in a subgroup of 52 patients (37 men, mean age: 52 ± 11 years). We found a significant correlation between IWV and PWV measurements (r¼0.88, Po0.0001) as well as between AoStiff and PWV measurements (r¼0.75, Po0.0001). GTN administration decreased mean arterial blood pressure by 4% (95% confidence interval: 2-8%, P¼0.002) without significant changes in AoStiff and regional IWV. Local AoStiff is correlated with regional measurements and is not influenced by changes in arterial pressure because of systemic peripheral vasodilatation.

Comparison between Regional and Local Pulse‐Wave Velocity Data

“…The association between the two variables remained significant after adjusting for possible confounding factors. This finding is confirmatory of previously published data in different clinical settings . Regarding direct comparison between regional and local PWV values, we found only a single study comparing cfPWV with local (abdominal aorta) PWV values .…”

“…This finding is confirmatory of previously published data in different clinical settings. [12][13][14][15][16] Regarding direct comparison between regional and local PWV values, we found only a single study comparing cfPWV with local (abdominal aorta) PWV values. 16 In this study performed on 18 healthy subjects, local PWV values were lower than cfPWV values in the subgroup with PWV ≤7 m/s and significantly higher than regional PWV values in individuals with PWV >7 m/s.…”

“…Some clinical studies analyzed both local PWV and cfPWV, showing that these parameters increase in parallel in the presence of other evidence of subclinical atherosclerosis, such as carotid plaque . Although there is consistency regarding the good correlation between regional and local PWV values in clinical and experimental settings, regional PWV has been shown to be more sensitive to detect changes in arterial stiffness than local PWV . The only available comparison between local (at the abdominal aorta) and regional PWV in a small group of healthy subjects describes significantly lower local PWV versus cfPWV in the subgroup with PWV ≤7 m/s, and significantly higher local versus regional PWV in individuals with PWV >7 m/s …”

False Lumen Flow Patterns and their Relation with Morphological and Biomechanical Characteristics of Chronic Aortic Dissections. Computational Model Compared with Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measurements

“…Therefore, we evaluated the effect of tear size by on the one hand, starting from a chronically large tear that was acutely partially occluded (for example, after endovascular treatment) and on the other hand, from a chronically stable small tear that acutely tears and increases its size. In these scenarios, we simulated the homeostatic response by TL vasodilatation or constriction (changing diameter by 20% [ 23 , 24 ]). For the change from large to small tear, we decreased tear size from 300 to 25 mm 2 with 20% TL dilatation.…”

Alteration of Type I Collagen in the Radial Artery of Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease

“…The incidence of CVD in patients with CKD exceeds that of the normal population by 20-to 30fold. 6 Because radial artery atherosclerosis can indirectly reflect the extent of cardiocerebral atherosclerosis, PWV is also used in estimating vascular sclerosis in patients with ESRD. 3,4 Understanding the mechanisms by which CKD causes abnormalities in cardiovascular structures and functions would allow early interventions to reduce the incidence and mortality of CVD in patients with CKD.…”