Correlation Between the Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index and Renal Resistive Index in Patients With Essential Hypertension

Renal resistive index (RRI) is a parameter determined by Doppler sonography that reflects renal hemodynamics. Significant relationships connecting increases in the RRI with cardiovascular risk factors and the incidence of cardiovascular disease in hypertensive patients have been reported. This cross-sectional study aimed to clarify the relationship between cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), a novel marker of arterial stiffness, and the RRI in patients with essential hypertension with the goal of primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

The study included 245 patients undergoing treatment for essential hypertension (95 men and 150 women; mean age ± standard deviation, 65 ± 13 years) with no history of cardiovascular disease. The CAVI and RRI were measured using commercial devices, and their relationships to various clinical parameters were examined.

A significant positive correlation was observed between the CAVI and RRI (r = 0.43, P < 0.001). Multiple regression analyses revealed a value of β of 0.28 (P < 0.001) when CAVI was evaluated as the independent and RRI as the dependent variable. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the CAVI cutoff point for high RRI (> 0.70) was 9.0 with area under the curve of 0.700 (P < 0.001).

The results from this study indicate that the CAVI varies directly with measures of renal vascular hemodynamics (RRI) in patients with essential hypertension. These findings identified a cardiovascular risk value of the CAVI from the perspective of renal hemodynamics as 9.0 in this patient population.