The association between aortic augmentation index and cardiovascular risk factors in a large unselected population

Abstract

The augmentation index (AIx) is a measure of systemic arterial stiffness, and previous studies have demonstrated an association between AIx and risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, there is limited knowledge about the age and gender differences of the observed associations. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to examine the association's consistency at different ages and to see if the associations are the same in men and women. This study is based on 3432 subjects from The Copenhagen City Heart Study, a prospective epidemiological survey of a representative population in Denmark. All subjects had AIx measured non-invasively by the SphygmoCor device (SphygmoCor, West Ryde, Australia). To analyse the association between AIx and CVD risk factors multiple linear regression analyses were used stratified by gender and age.The main determinants of AIx were age, heart rate, height and systolic blood pressure in both age groups with few gender differences. Associations between AIx and cardiovascular risk factors further differed by age: In young subjects AIx was associated with cholesterol, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, current smoking, low weight, poor education and physical inactivity, whereas in subjects above age 60 AIx was associated with weight and current smoking in men. We found a modest association between AIx and traditional CVD risk factors and the association attenuated in subjects 460 years. Further longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether AIx is primarily a marker of CVD in younger subjects.

Association between smoking status and the parameters of vascular structure and function in adults: results from the EVIDENT study

“…Previous studies have demonstrated an association between AIx and cardiovascular risk factors, including smoking [6,23]. In our work, the highest BMI corresponds to the former smokers group, which could explain the lower value of PAIx75 in this group because the augmentation index decreases when BMI increases [24].…”

“…Smoking has been associated with increased arterial stiffness and central hemodynamic indices [3-6]. There is evidence that the ankle-brachial index inversely and linearly correlates with cigarette smoking [7,8].…”

Evaluation of Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Bronchial Asthma and Co-Existent Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

“…The assessment of the AIx is simpler as compared to the determination of PWV [24,25]. Previous studies have demonstrated independent prognostic features of this index as a predictor of acute cardiovascular events [26]. The AIx varies depending on heart rate (HR); the AIx adjusted to a standard heart rate of 75 bpm (AIx75) is commonly used (AIx75).…”

Measuring and Evaluating Function, Impairment, and Change with Intervention

“…42 The AIx is commonly accepted as a measure of the enhancement (augmentation) of central aortic pressure by a reflected pulse wave (shown in the second, smaller waveform in Figure 2.12).…”