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Updated: May 4, 2026

Measuring the Carotid to Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity Cf-PWV to Evaluate Arterial Stiffness
Published on: May 3, 2018
Do different arterial stiffness parameters provide similar information in high-risk patients for coronary artery
Kyung Min Kim1, Byung-Su Yoo1, Anna Ko1
1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea.
Insights
Increased brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and decreased peripheral augmentation index (pAI) predict coronary artery disease (CAD) in elderly patients. These non-invasive measures are valuable indicators for assessing cardiovascular risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Vascular Physiology
Background:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
- Non-invasive methods for predicting CAD are crucial for early detection and risk stratification.
- Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and peripheral augmentation index (pAI) are emerging vascular biomarkers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the predictive values of baPWV and pAI for CAD in patients undergoing coronary angiography.
- To assess the association between these non-invasive markers and the severity of CAD.
- To evaluate the utility of baPWV and pAI as diagnostic tools for CAD.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 965 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography was analyzed.
- Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and peripheral augmentation index (pAI) were measured non-invasively.
- CAD was defined as >50% stenosis; severity was classified by vessel involvement (0-3 vessels).
Main Results:
- Patients with CAD exhibited significantly higher baPWV (16.6±3.5 m/sec) and lower pAI (73.5±15.9%) compared to those without CAD.
- A significant association was found between increasing CAD severity (1- to 3-vessel disease) and elevated baPWV (p<0.001).
- Univariate analysis confirmed that high baPWV and low pAI were independently associated with increased CAD prevalence (p<0.001).
Conclusions:
- Elevated brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and reduced peripheral augmentation index (pAI) are significantly associated with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in elderly individuals.
- These non-invasive vascular parameters serve as valuable predictors for CAD.
- The findings support the use of baPWV and pAI in cardiovascular risk assessment for early CAD detection.
Background And Objectives:
The aim of our study was to compare the values of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) measured with two different non-invasive methods as predictors of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients who had undergone coronary angiography.
Subjects And Methods:
From 6373 patients who visited our laboratory for non-invasive procedures, we enrolled 965 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography. Data for baPWV and peripheral augmentation index (pAI) were recorded. CAD was defined as greater than 50% stenosis of a major epicardial artery in a coronary angiogram. In addition, the severity of CAD was classified as: none/minimal or 1-, 2-, or 3-vessel disease, based on previous or current angiographic findings.
Results:
Among 965 subjects, the mean age was 63.7±11.6 years, and 58.2% were male. Compared with subjects without CAD disease, those with CAD showed higher values of baPWV (16.6±3.5 m/sec vs. 15.9±3.4 m/sec, p<0.001), and lower values of pAI (73.5±15.9% vs. 76.0±15.7%, p=0.01). When the severity of CAD was expressed as none/minimal or 1-, 2-, or 3-vessel disease, there was a significant association between the extent of CAD and baPWV (p<0.001). In univariate analysis, high PWV and low pAI were associated with an increased prevalence of CAD (p<0.001).
Conclusion:
Increased baPWV and decreased pAI were associated with the presence of CAD in the elderly.
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Monitoring Both Arms:
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