Relationship between global pulse wave velocity and diastolic dysfunction in postmenopausal women

Global aortic pulse wave velocity (PWVg) is a simple, accurate, and noninvasive method to determine large artery stiffness. The goal of our study was to investigate the relationship between PWVg, LV mass, and diastolic function in postmenopausal women.

We screened 321 consecutive women with echocardiographic examination to determine PWVg. LV diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) and LV hypertrophy (LVH) were diagnosed according to ASE (American Society Echocardiography) Guidelines.

The mean age of the 321 women studied was 59.9 years of age with 20 percent of the women menstruate and 80 percent post-menopausal. Amongst the post-menopausal women, 168 patients had LVDD (66.7%), 127 had mild diastolic dysfunction, 40 had moderate diastolic dysfunction, and 1had severe diastolic dysfunction. In these post-menopausal patients with diastolic dysfunction, 89.3% had an increased PWVg while 10.7% had a normal PWVg which was highly statistically significant (p < 0.001). The patients with a normal PWVg all had mild diastolic dysfunction. Increased left atrial volume indexed for body surface area was present in only 19 women, 12 of whom had LVDD and 14 increased PWVg, but statistical analysis was not performed due to the low number of women affected. There was no statistically significant difference in age between postmenopausal women with and without increased PWVg.

In our population of postmenopausal women, we observed a strong relationship between LVDD and LVH with PWVg. Our study supports the usefulness of assessment of aortic stiffness as a marker of cardiovascular disease.