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Updated: Dec 18, 2025
Measuring the Carotid to Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity Cf-PWV to Evaluate Arterial Stiffness
Published on: May 3, 2018
Arterial Stiffness and Blood Pressure in Patients Newly Diagnosed with Graves' Disease Compared with Euthyroid
Diana Grove-Laugesen1, Sofie Malmstroem1, Eva Ebbehoj1
1Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Insights
Graves' disease (GD) patients exhibit increased arterial stiffness, measured by 24-hour pulse wave velocity (PWV), and higher pulse pressure compared to controls. These findings may explain the elevated cardiovascular risk in hyperthyroidism.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Vascular Physiology
Background:
- Hyperthyroidism and Graves' disease (GD) are linked to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
- The underlying mechanisms, particularly concerning arterial stiffness and blood pressure, remain incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, PWV) and blood pressure between patients with newly diagnosed Graves' disease and healthy controls.
- To determine if established cardiovascular risk factors are altered in GD.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study comparing 55 patients with newly diagnosed GD and 55 matched euthyroid controls.
- Measurement of office and 24-hour ambulatory pulse wave velocity (PWV) and blood pressure using SphygmoCor Xcel and Arteriograph devices.
- Statistical analysis using adjusted linear regression to compare groups.
Main Results:
- Patients with GD had significantly higher 24-hour PWV compared to controls (adjusted difference: 1.0 m/s).
- Higher PWV was observed during both day and night in GD patients, with reduced nocturnal PWV dipping.
- Central and brachial pulse pressure were significantly elevated in GD patients, alongside reduced nocturnal dipping of central pulse pressure. Mean arterial pressure did not differ.
Conclusions:
- Graves' disease is associated with increased 24-hour arterial stiffness (PWV) and elevated pulse pressure, even with comparable office blood pressure readings.
- The findings suggest that increased PWV, not detected in standard office measurements, may contribute to the heightened cardiovascular risk in GD.
- Further longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm if elevated PWV is a key factor in the cardiovascular complications of hyperthyroidism and GD.
Introduction And Objective:
The excess cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in hyperthyroidism and Graves' disease (GD) is inadequately understood. We aimed to elucidate whether well-established cardiovascular risk factors such as arterial stiffness in terms of pulse wave velocity (PWV) and blood pressure differ in GD and controls.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional study comparing 55 hyperthyroid patients with newly diagnosed GD and 55 euthyroid, population-based controls matched for age, sex and menopausal status. PWV and blood pressure were measured in office (SphygmoCor Xcel) and 24-h ambulatory settings (Arteriograph). Differences between groups were assessed using adjusted linear regression analysis.
Results:
Compared to controls, GD patients showed higher PWV in the 24-h but not in the office setting with an adjusted 24-h PWV difference of 1.0 (95% CI: 0.6-1.5) m/s. PWV was higher in GD at both day and night, and nightly PWV dipping was lower (-5.5, 95% CI: -10.4 to -0.6%). Furthermore, central and brachial pulse pressure was significantly higher in both the office and 24-h setting, whereas nightly central pulse pressure dipping was significantly lower in GD (-5.4, 95% CI: -10.5 to -0.2%). Mean arterial pressure did not differ between the groups.
Conclusions:
Despite comparable blood pressure, GD is associated with a higher 24-h PWV that was not detected in the office setting. Pulse pressure was higher in GD, whereas mean arterial pressure did not differ between the groups. Longitudinal studies should pursue whether higher PWV might be a piece to the puzzle of understanding the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in hyperthyroidism and GD.
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