Reference values for local arterial stiffness. Part A: carotid artery.

Area of Science:

• Vascular Biology
• Cardiovascular Epidemiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Carotid artery stiffness, measured by the carotid distensibility coefficient, is a recognized indicator of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
• Non-invasive assessments of carotid properties are crucial for understanding arterial health.
• Establishing normative data for carotid stiffness is essential for clinical interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine age- and sex-specific reference intervals for carotid stiffness.
• To investigate the association between cardiovascular risk factors and carotid distensibility.

Main Methods:

• Data from 22,708 individuals across 24 international research centers were analyzed.
• A healthy sub-population (n=3601) without CVD or risk factors was used to derive sex-specific equations for carotid distensibility percentiles.
• Carotid distensibility coefficient Z-scores were calculated and analyzed against cardiovascular risk factors.

Main Results:

• Age and sex-specific percentile equations for carotid distensibility were established.
• In a healthy sub-population (n=12,906), diabetes, mean arterial pressure, cholesterol ratio, and BMI were negatively associated with carotid distensibility Z-scores.
• Smoking was positively associated with carotid distensibility Z-scores.

Conclusions:

• Age and sex-specific reference values for carotid stiffness were successfully estimated.
• The study provides a framework for comparing carotid stiffness across different cardiovascular risk profiles.
• These findings enhance the interpretation of carotid stiffness measures in clinical and research settings.