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Physiological relationships between central vascular haemodynamics and left ventricular structure
J A Deague1, C M Wilson, L E Grigg
1Department of Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. david-and-jenny@juno.com
Insights
Central haemodynamics influence left ventricular structure. Higher arterial elastance and augmentation index correlate with smaller left ventricular cavity size and increased wall thickness, particularly with age.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Cardiac Remodeling
- Hypertension Research
Background:
- Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a significant cardiovascular risk factor.
- Central hemodynamic characteristics influence LVH patterns in hypertensive individuals.
- Central hemodynamics may dictate physiological variations in left ventricular structure and load responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between central hemodynamic parameters and left ventricular structure in healthy volunteers.
- To determine how effective arterial elastance and augmentation index relate to left ventricular dimensions and mass.
- To explore age-related changes in left ventricular geometry influenced by arterial load.
Main Methods:
- M-mode echocardiography to assess left ventricular diastolic dimension, mass index, relative wall thickness, and stroke volume.
- Tonometric sphygmography to estimate augmentation index, central end-systolic, and mean arterial blood pressure.
- Calculation of effective arterial elastance (Ea) as the ratio of end-systolic pressure to stroke volume.
Main Results:
- Left ventricular diastolic dimension showed inverse correlations with effective arterial elastance (Ea) and augmentation index.
- Adjusted left ventricular mass index was inversely correlated with Ea, but not augmentation index.
- Adjusted relative wall thickness positively correlated with both Ea and augmentation index, and significantly with age.
Conclusions:
- Higher Ea and augmentation index are associated with smaller left ventricular cavity size and increased relative wall thickness.
- Age-related changes in left ventricular afterload appear to influence relative wall thickness more than left ventricular mass index.
- These findings suggest a specific alteration in left ventricular geometry with aging due to hemodynamic factors.
Abstract:
Left ventricular hypertrophy is an independent cardiovascular risk factor. In hypertensives, the pattern of hypertrophy is influenced by central haemodynamic characteristics. Central haemodynamics may also determine physiological differences in left ventricular structure and predispose to particular responses of the left ventricle to pathological increases in load. M-mode echocardiography was used to measure left ventricular diastolic dimension and to estimate left ventricular mass index, relative wall thickness and stroke volume in 159 healthy volunteers aged between 19 and 74 years. Tonometric sphygmography was used to estimate augmentation index, central end-systolic and mean arterial blood pressure. Effective arterial elastance was calculated as the ratio of end-systolic pressure to stroke volume. Left ventricular mass index and relative wall thickness were adjusted for variation in age, sex and blood pressure before analyses. Left ventricular diastolic dimension exhibited significant inverse correlations with both effective arterial elastance (r=-0.72, P<0.0001) and augmentation index (r=-0.23, P=0.004). Adjusted left ventricular mass index was inversely correlated with effective arterial elastance (r=-0.35, P<0.0001), but no correlation was observed between left ventricular mass index and augmentation index (r=0.04). Adjusted relative wall thickness correlated with increasing effective arterial elastance (r=0.32, P<0.0001) and augmentation index (r=0.18, P=0.02). Relative wall thickness (r=0.34, P<0.0001), but not left ventricular mass index, correlated with age. Higher elastance and augmentation correlates with relatively smaller left ventricular cavity size but larger relative wall thickness. Age-related changes in left ventricular afterload may affect relative wall thickness more significantly than left ventricular mass index and may contribute to a particular change in left ventricular geometry with age.