Aortic pulse wave velocity measurement in systemic sclerosis patients

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Rheumatology
• Vascular Biology

Background:

• Systemic sclerosis (SSc) involves endothelial dysfunction and microangiopathy, with potential macrovascular implications.
• Aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) is a key indicator of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular event prognosis.
• Non-invasive measurement of aPWV offers a practical tool for assessing vascular health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate alterations in aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) in patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc).
• To correlate aPWV findings with cardiopulmonary involvement in SSc patients.
• To identify potential subsets of SSc patients with increased vascular damage.

Main Methods:

• Aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) was measured in 35 female SSc patients and 26 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.
• Echocardiography was used to assess cardiac structure and pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PAPs).
• Clinical parameters including the six-minute walking test and disease characteristics were analyzed.

Main Results:

• SSc patients exhibited significantly higher aPWV compared to controls (9.4 ± 3.2 m/s vs 7.3 ± 1 m/s, P=0.002).
• Increased aPWV (>9 m/s) was found in 40% of SSc patients versus 4% of controls (P=0.0009).
• SSc patients showed increased right atrial/ventricular dilatation, elevated PAPs, and reduced six-minute walking test distance, particularly those >50 years old, with limited cutaneous SSc, longer disease duration, or ACA positivity.

Conclusions:

• A significantly higher prevalence of elevated aPWV was observed in SSc patients, indicating increased arterial stiffness.
• These findings suggest more pronounced and diffuse vascular damage in specific SSc subsets, such as ACA-positive individuals with limited cutaneous scleroderma and longer disease duration.
• aPWV may serve as a valuable non-invasive marker for assessing macrovascular involvement in Systemic Sclerosis.