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[New World of Vascular-Function Developed with CAVI, PWV and ABI]
Insights
Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) offers a blood pressure-independent method for evaluating arteriosclerosis. This index shows promise in assessing cardiovascular disease risk and the heart-arterial relationship.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Vascular Biology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Arteriosclerotic diseases pose a global health challenge, with traditional quantitative and non-invasive evaluation methods facing limitations.
- Pulse-wave velocity (PWV) is widely used but is dependent on blood pressure, affecting measurement accuracy.
- Existing methods struggle to provide a comprehensive, blood pressure-independent assessment of arterial stiffness and related diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and evaluate the Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI) as a novel, blood pressure-independent measure of arteriosclerosis.
- To investigate the correlation of CAVI with various arteriosclerotic diseases and their risk factors.
- To explore the potential of CAVI in assessing the heart-arterial relationship and its implications for cardiovascular health.
Main Methods:
- CAVI calculation based on stiffness parameter beta theory and Bramwell-Hill's equation.
- Assessment of CAVI values in patients with conditions like coronary stenosis, cervical arteriosclerosis, cerebral infarction, and chronic kidney disease.
- Evaluation of CAVI's reflection of risk factors including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and smoking.
Main Results:
- CAVI demonstrated elevated values in patients with significant arteriosclerotic conditions.
- CAVI effectively reflected the presence of major cardiovascular risk factors and improved upon their control.
- A positive correlation was observed between CAVI and left ventricular function, suggesting its utility in evaluating the heart-arterial interplay.
Conclusions:
- CAVI is a valuable, blood pressure-independent index for assessing arteriosclerosis and its associated diseases.
- CAVI serves as a sensitive indicator of cardiovascular risk factors and their management.
- The findings support the development of new research avenues focusing on the collaborative system between the heart and arteries using CAVI.
Abstract:
Arteriosclerotic diseases are becoming a serious problem all over the world. However, the evaluation of arteriosclerosis quantitatively and non-invasively has been very difficult. Pulse-wave velocities have been used globally. Their significance was mostly established, but the problem is that PWV depends on the blood pressure at the time of measurement. The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) was recently presented and produced from the stiffness parameter beta theory and Bramwell-Hill's equation. CAVI was independent from the blood pressure at the time of measurement. CAVI showed high values in arteriosclerotic diseases, such as coronary stenosis, cervical arteriosclerosis, cerebral infarction, and chronic kidney diseases. Furthermore, CAVI reflected so-called risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and smoking. Also, controlling most of those risk factors improved CAVI. A low ankle-brachial blood pressure index (ABI) (< 0.9) reflected stenosis of the femoral artery. ABI (0.9-0.99) has been reported to be a predictor of coronary artery diseases. A combination of those indices might be useful in practical medicine. Furthermore, it is known that arterial stiffness reflects the Windkessel function. The positive correlation between CAVI and the left ventricular function indicated that the heart-arterial relationship could be evaluated using CAVI. Therefore, a new study field involving a collaborating system between heart muscle and arteries could be developed using CAVI.
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