Influence of carotid atherosclerotic plaques on pulse wave assessment with arterial tonometry

Abstract

Measurement of PWV and of variables derived from the central pulse waveform analysis by carotid tonometry is not biased by the presence of local atherosclerotic plaques.

A Primer on Repeated Sitting Exposure and the Cardiovascular System: Considerations for Study Design, Analysis, Interpretation, and Translation

“…However, cfPWV assessments typically require applanation of the carotid artery. This can be technically challenging in certain populations, including persons who are obese and those with advanced carotid artery atherosclerosis (72), and accuracy may be compromised. Additionally, applanation of the carotid artery can result in a pressor reflex, which can become problematic with repeated measurements as the measurement itself may confound the study outcomes.…”

Associations between carotid-femoral and heart-femoral pulse wave velocity in older adults: the Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities study

“…However, cfPWV assessments typically require applanation of the carotid artery, which can be technically challenging in certain populations, including persons who are obese and those with advanced carotid artery atherosclerosis. [5] Further, cfPWV assessment is not consistent with the path of blood flow from the aortic arch to the carotid artery, which is not included in measurement of the distance between the carotid and femoral measurement points.…”

Overall and repeated measures agreement between brachial-femoral and carotid-femoral measures of pulse wave velocity in young and healthy individuals

“…Although cfPWV is a strong predictor of CVD risk [21], its clinical use is limited by the technical challenge of assessing the carotid artery. In particular, cfPWV is less suitable for use in certain populations, such as obese individuals [5] and those with carotid plaque [6]. Nonetheless, it is widely accepted that cfPWV can predict cardiovascular events independently of traditional cardiovascular risk factors [17,22].…”

“…cfPWV is typically measured using tonometry at both sites and aligning the data by gating via electrocardiogram, or by combining a cuff placed on the upper thigh with a tonometer applanating the carotid artery [3]. However, applanation of the carotid artery requires technical expertise [4] and can be challenging in certain subjects, including those who are obese [5] or those with carotid plaque [6]. It would be useful in both clinical settings and physiological research to identify an approach that agrees with cfPWV but overcomes these limitations.…”