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Published on: February 23, 2020
Clinical study of the ascending aorta wall motion by velocity vector imaging in patients with primary hypertension
Lei Wang1, Jing Wang, Mingxing Xie
1Department of Ultrasonography, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. netherwong@hotmail.com
Insights
Primary hypertension patients show reduced ascending aorta wall motion and velocity compared to healthy individuals. Velocity Vector Imaging (VVI) effectively assesses these aortic changes, aiding in understanding arterial elasticity.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Hypertension Research
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Primary hypertension is a major cardiovascular risk factor.
- Ascending aorta function is crucial for cardiovascular health.
- Understanding aortic wall mechanics in hypertension is vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate ascending aorta wall motion characteristics in primary hypertension using Velocity Vector Imaging (VVI).
- To compare aortic diameter, wall motion amplitude, and velocity parameters between hypertensive patients and healthy controls.
- To evaluate the utility of VVI in assessing aortic elasticity in hypertension.
Main Methods:
- Velocity Vector Imaging (VVI) was employed on 30 primary hypertension patients and 30 healthy controls.
- Ascending aorta anterior wall motion (systole and diastole) was analyzed.
- Key parameters measured included aortic diameter, wall motion amplitude, peak systolic velocity (S wave), and diastolic velocity (E wave).
Main Results:
- Hypertension patients exhibited a wider aortic diameter and lower anterior wall motion amplitude (P<0.05).
- Ascending aorta wall velocities (S wave and E wave) were significantly slower in hypertensive patients (P<0.05).
- Time to peak systolic velocity (S wave) was shorter in hypertension patients (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
- VVI provides accurate, direct assessment of ascending aorta wall movement.
- Hypertension is associated with altered ascending aorta mechanics, including reduced velocity and motion.
- VVI can help evaluate arterial elasticity changes in patients with primary hypertension.
Abstract:
We studied the wall motion characteristics of the ascending aorta by velocity vector imaging (VVI) in primary hypertension patients. The ascending aortas both in 30 patients with primary hypertension and 30 normal controls were examined by Acuson sequoia 512 equiped with VVI. The maximum velocity (Vs, Ve) of every point on the anterior wall of ascending aorta both in systole and diastole was measured. The aortic diameter was wider in the hypertension patients than that in the healthy subjects (P<0.05). The movement amplitude of the anterior wall of the ascending aorta in long axis view in the hypertension patients was lower than that in the healthy subjects (P<0.05). The motion and time to peak in systole of each point of the ascending aorta in the healthy subjects had no significant difference (P>0.05). The velocity curves of the anterior wall of ascending aorta both in the hypertension and healthy subjects were regular, and the curve in systole was named S wave and that in diastole named E wave. The velocity of S wave and E wave was slower in the hypertension patients than that in the healthy subjects (P<0.05). The time to peak of S wave on the anterior wall of ascending aorta in systole was shorter in the hypertension patients than in the healthy subjects (P<0.05). VVI could be used to accurately and directly observe the movement character of the ascending aorta walls, which would help us understand the elasticity of great arteries in patients with hypertension.
