Comparison of arterial stiffness and microcirculatory changes following abdominal aortic aneurysm grafting

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgery provides a unique opportunity to study the impact of arterial stiffness on central haemodynamics, reflected in augmentation index (AI). The aneurysmal aorta is significantly stiffer than undilated age-matched aorta.

We investigated whether replacement of an aneurysmal aorta with a compliant graft would result in a decrease in AI, which would thus decrease myocardial workload parameters.

Patients undergoing elective open or endovascular AAA repair were assessed with applanation tonometry and laser fluximetry pre-operatively, immediately and long-term post-operatively.

Replacement of a small segment of abnormal conduit vessel resulted in improvements in AI, demonstrating that arterial stiffness can be surgically manipulated.

These results reflect a decreased myocardial workload post-aortic grafting. This decrease in AI is important from a risk factor management perspective, and arterial stiffness should become a further recognised and screened for risk factor in patients with known aneurysmal disease.