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Measuring Ascending Aortic Stiffness In Vivo in Mice Using Ultrasound
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Proximal aortic stiffness is related to left ventricular function and exercise capacity in patients with dilated

Alexandros P Patrianakos1, Fragiskos I Parthenakis, Dimitrios Karakitsos

  • 1Cardiology Department, Heraklion University Hospital, Crete, Greece. apatrianakos@yahoo.gr

European Journal of Echocardiography : the Journal of the Working Group on Echocardiography of the European Society of Cardiology
|December 2, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Patients with non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDC) have stiffer aortas, impacting heart function and exercise ability. Echocardiography can assess this aortic stiffness, offering clinical value for heart failure management.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Physiology
  • Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

  • Heart failure (HF) is associated with abnormal arterial stiffening.
  • Non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDC) is a common cause of HF.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate proximal aortic stiffness in patients with NIDC.
  • To investigate the relationship between aortic stiffness, left ventricular (LV) function, and exercise capacity in NIDC patients.

Main Methods:

  • Echocardiography was used to measure pulse wave velocity (PWV) in the aortic arch of 60 NIDC patients and 44 controls.
  • Cardiopulmonary exercise testing assessed exercise capacity (VO2).
  • LV diastolic function was categorized using filling patterns.

Main Results:

  • NIDC patients exhibited significantly increased aortic PWV compared to controls (7.4 vs. 4.8 m/s).
  • Advanced LV diastolic dysfunction was linked to higher PWV and reduced VO2.
  • Aortic PWV correlated with LV mass, systolic function, diastolic filling patterns, and exercise capacity.

Conclusions:

  • Patients with NIDC demonstrate increased proximal aortic stiffness.
  • Aortic stiffness in NIDC is associated with impaired LV function and reduced exercise tolerance.
  • Echocardiographic assessment of aortic PWV is a potentially valuable clinical tool for NIDC patients.
Abstract

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