Carotid-Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity in the Prediction of Cardiovascular Events and Mortality: An Updated Systematic...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Vascular Biology
• Biomarkers

Background:

• Arterial stiffness (AS) is a key indicator of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
• Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) is a standard clinical measure for assessing AS.
• Predictive value of cf-PWV for clinical CVD events requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between cf-PWV and clinical CVD events.
• To determine if cf-PWV can improve cardiovascular risk prediction.
• To identify patient subgroups benefiting from intensified risk management.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search identified 786 studies.
• 19 studies were included in a meta-analysis.
• Pooled relative risks for CVD events and mortality were calculated based on cf-PWV levels.

Main Results:

• Increased cf-PWV (per 1 SD, 1 m/s, and cutoff points) was significantly associated with higher risks of CVD events and mortality.
• Relative risks for CVD events were 1.25 (1 SD), 1.12 (1 m/s), and 1.80 (cutoff).
• Relative risks for CVD mortality were 1.23 (1 SD), 1.09 (1 m/s), and 1.85 (cutoff).
• The predictive power of AS was greater in patients with higher pre-existing disease risk.

Conclusions:

• cf-PWV is a valuable biomarker for predicting cardiovascular events and mortality.
• Elevated AS, as measured by cf-PWV, identifies individuals at high risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes.
• cf-PWV can guide aggressive management strategies in high-risk populations to mitigate cardiovascular risk.