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Color M-mode echocardiography-derived propagation velocity of descending aorta decreases with aging
Mehmet Yaman1,2, Uğur Arslan1, Adil Bayramoğlu2
1Cardiology Department, Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Health Sciences University, Samsun.
Insights
Arterial stiffness (AS) can be assessed using aortic velocity propagation (AVP) measurements. This study found AVP correlates with pulse wave velocity (PWV) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), suggesting AVP is a viable measure of AS.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular physiology
- Diagnostic imaging
- Biomarkers of atherosclerosis
Background:
- Arterial stiffness (AS) is a cardiovascular risk factor, measurable noninvasively via pulse wave velocity (PWV).
- Atherosclerosis, a related condition, can be assessed using ultrasonographic techniques like aortic velocity propagation (AVP).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between atherosclerosis and AVP.
- To determine if AVP can serve as a parameter for assessing AS.
Main Methods:
- 134 healthy individuals aged ≥40 years were studied.
- Pulse wave velocity (PWV) measured aortic stiffness; carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) assessed subclinical atherosclerosis.
- AVP was measured, and correlations with PWV, CIMT, and age were calculated.
Main Results:
- AVP significantly decreased with age (r=-0.902, P<0.001), while PWV (r=0.854, P<0.001) and CIMT (r=0.518, P<0.001) increased.
- Strong correlations were found between AVP and PWV (r=-0.832, P<0.001), and AVP and CIMT (r=-0.345, P<0.001).
Conclusions:
- Transthoracic echocardiographic AVP is a simple, effective measurement for AS.
- AVP correlates well with established measures of arterial stiffness (PWV) and atherosclerosis (CIMT) in healthy adults.
Background:
Arterial stiffness (AS) can be determined by some noninvasive tests such as pulse wave velocity (PWV). Atherosclerosis is also detectable by some ultrasonographic techniques such as color M-mode-derived propagation velocity measured along the origin of the descending aorta (AVP).
Aim:
The aim of the study was to find out a possible relationship between atherosclerosis and AVP and whether AVP can be used as a parameter of AS.
Materials And Methods:
The study group was composed of 134 people from routine screening examination who were ≥40 years old, completely healthy, and without any known disease and use of any drug. PWV has been determined to show aortic stiffness, and carotid artery intima- media thickness (CIMT) was measured for subclinical atherosclerosis. AVP values were obtained from all participants, and correlations were calculated between these parameters and age.
Results:
AVP decreased (r=-0.902, P<0.001) and PWV increased (r=0.854, P<0.001) significantly with increasing age. CIMT also increased with aging (r=0.518, P<0.001). There were significant correlations between AVP and PWV (r=-0.832, P<0.001) and AVP and CIMT (r=-0.345, P<0.001).
Conclusion:
Transthoracic echocardiographic determination of AVP can be used as a simple measurement of AS and correlates well with PWV, age, and CIMT in healthy people.
