Measurement of pulse wave velocity: site matters

Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) predicts mortality from cardiovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease and stroke. However, a comparison of associations between PWV measured at different sites and atherosclerosis in coronary, carotid and femoral arteries has not been made.

In 159 men (ages 45-82 years) with and without known coronary artery disease, PWV measurements were made between carotid-femoral, carotid-radial and femoral-posterior tibial sites, using an ultrasound technique. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) scores were measured by multislice computed tomography. Carotid and femoral intima-media thickness (IMT) and presence of plaque were determined by ultrasound. Known coronary artery disease was confirmed by angiography. Participants were grouped into four categories of CAC score: 0-10, 11-100, 101-400, > 400 Hounsfield Units (HU). Measurements of blood pressure, heart rate and fasting bloods were made in all individuals.

Carotid-femoral PWV correlated positively with CAC score and increased with incremental coronary calcification category (median carotid-femoral PWV 16.8 m/s in those with CAC score > 400 HU and 13.8 m/s in those with CAC score < 10 HU; P = 0.003). Carotid-femoral PWV also correlated with carotid and femoral IMT (P < 0.001, P = 0.004, respectively) and with carotid and femoral plaque (P = 0.001, P = 0.038, respectively). Increased carotid-femoral PWV also correlated with increasing age (P < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (P < 0.001), mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure (P < 0.001). Carotid-radial and femoral-posterior tibial PWV were not significantly associated with CAC score, carotid or femoral IMT or carotid plaque.

Carotid-femoral PWV is a better indicator of atherosclerosis than either carotid-radial or femoral-posterior tibial PWV, and should be used preferentially in studies of atherosclerosis and in stratifying risk in clinical settings.