Measurement variation of aortic pulse wave velocity in the elderly

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Updated: Sep 12, 2026

Pulse Wave Velocity Testing in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
06:08

Pulse Wave Velocity Testing in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

Published on: February 7, 2014

K Sutton-Tyrrell1, R H Mackey, R Holubkov

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA. Tyrrell@edc.gsph.pitt.edu

American Journal of Hypertension
|May 23, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Accurate measurement of aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) is reproducible in elderly populations. This study confirms reliable PWV assessment even with newly trained sonographers and readers, supporting its use in cardiovascular disease research.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular physiology
  • Medical imaging
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Arterial stiffness is a key indicator of cardiovascular risk.
  • Accurate and reproducible measurement of arterial stiffness is crucial for population studies.
  • Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a primary measure of arterial stiffness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the reproducibility of aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements.
  • To assess intra- and inter-observer and inter-visit variability in PWV assessment.
  • To determine the reliability of PWV measurements in an elderly population.

Main Methods:

  • Aortic PWV was measured in 14 elderly participants.
  • Data were collected by two sonographers and read by two readers.
  • Reproducibility was assessed using correlation analyses and difference calculations over multiple visits.

Main Results:

  • The overall reliability coefficient for PWV was 0.77.
  • Between-sonographer and between-reader correlations ranged from rP = 0.73 to 0.87.
  • Between-visit correlations were rP = 0.63, indicating good reproducibility.

Conclusions:

  • Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurement demonstrates good reproducibility in elderly individuals.
  • The method is reliable even with newly trained sonographers and readers.
  • PWV is a reproducible measure suitable for population-based cardiovascular disease studies.

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