An innovative method to measure the peripheral arterial elasticity: spring constant modeling based on the arterial...

In this study, we propose an innovative method for the direct measurement of the peripheral artery elasticity using a spring constant model, based on the arterial pressure wave equation, vibrating in a radial direction. By means of the boundary condition of the pressure wave equation at the maximum peak, we can derive the spring constant used for evaluating peripheral arterial elasticity. The calculated spring constants of six typical subjects show a coincidence with their proper arterial elasticities. Furthermore, the comparison between the spring constant method and pulse wave velocity (PWV) was investigated in 70 subjects (21-64 years, 47 normotensives and 23 hypertensives). The results reveal a significant negative correlation for the spring constant vs. PWV (correlation coefficient = -0.663, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis also indicates the same close relationship. Furthermore, within-operator and between-operator analyses show significantly high reproducibility. Therefore, the use of the spring constant method to assess the arterial elasticity is carefully verified, and it is shown to be effective as well as fast. This method should be useful for healthcare, not only in improving clinical diagnosis of arterial stiffness but also in screening subjects for early evidence of cardio-vascular diseases and in monitoring responses to therapy in the future.