Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Pulse Wave Velocity Testing in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
Published on: February 7, 2014
Carotid atherosclerosis and arterial peripheral pulse wave velocity in cerebral thrombosis
Tamaki Tomonori1, Sawada Keiko, Hayashi Shinkichi
1Department of Neurosurgery, Nippon Medical School Tamanagayama Hospital, 1-7-1 Nagayama Tama-shi, Tokyo-to, Japan 206-8512. tamakito@nms.ac.jp
Insights
Arterial stiffness, measured by pulse wave velocity, is linked to the presence of carotid plaque in stroke patients. However, it does not correlate with the plaque
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Neurology
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Arterial stiffening and thickening are key features of atherosclerosis.
- Understanding the link between large artery stiffness and thickening is crucial for preventing cerebrovascular disease.
- Limited research exists on the correlation between carotid artery wall thickening and arterial stiffness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between arterial stiffness and carotid plaque in patients with cerebral thrombosis.
- To assess if arterial stiffness correlates with the presence and severity of carotid atherosclerosis.
Main Methods:
- Study included 109 patients (aged 40-80) with cerebral thrombosis.
- Arterial stiffness was assessed using ankle-brachial pulse wave velocity.
- Carotid plaque was detected via high-resolution real-time B-mode ultrasonography, with plaque severity scored.
Main Results:
- High pulse wave velocity was significantly associated with the existence of carotid plaque (p<0.001).
- Pulse wave velocity was not significantly associated with the severity of carotid plaque (p=0.14).
- Multivariate logistic regression models confirmed these findings.
Conclusions:
- Ankle-brachial pulse wave velocity is associated with the presence of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with cerebral thrombosis.
- Arterial stiffness is not associated with the severity of carotid atherosclerosis in this patient group.
- Findings suggest pulse wave velocity may serve as an indicator for carotid atherosclerosis presence.
Abstract:
Stiffening and thickening of the arterial walls are two important components of atherosclerosis. A better understanding of the relationship between stiffening and thickening of the large arteries might lead to optimal strategies for the prevention of cerebrovascular disease. However, there have been few investigations of the correlation between carotid artery wall thickening and arterial stiffness. In this study, we investigated the relationship between arterial stiffness (assessed by the ankle-brachial pulse wave velocity) and carotid plaque (detected by high-resolution real-time B-mode ultrasonography) in patients with cerebral thrombosis. The subjects were 109 patients with cerebral thrombosis aged 40-80 years. Fifty-six subjects had carotid plaque (27 had low-grade plaques (plaque score<7.0) and 29 had high-grade plaques (plaque score >or=7.0)) and 53 subjects did not have plaques. High pulse wave velocity was found to be significantly associated with existence of carotid plaque (p<0.001), but was not associated with the severity of the plaque (p=0.14) in multivariate logistic regression models. This study shows that the pulse wave velocity is associated with the existence of carotid atherosclerosis, but not with the severity of carotid atherosclerosis, in patients with cerebral thrombosis.
More Related Videos
06:04Pulse-Wave Velocity, Flow-Mediated Dilation, and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness to Assess Cardiovascular Risk in Population with Metabolic Syndrome
Published on: September 27, 2024
05:51Measuring the Carotid to Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (Cf-PWV) to Evaluate Arterial Stiffness
Published on: May 3, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Atherosclerosis II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Tests
Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation
Pulse
The pulse serves as a clinical indicator...
Pulse amplitude and quality
A weak or absent pulse may indicate reduced cardiac output or poor left ventricular contraction, which can be signs of cardiovascular dysfunction or...
Peripheral Artery Disease I: Introduction
Arteries of the Head and Neck
The internal carotid arteries supply blood to the anterior portion of the cerebrum. They enter the...