Normal and reference values for cardiovascular magnetic resonance-based pulse wave velocity in the middle-aged...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Imaging and Diagnostics
• Vascular Physiology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Aortic stiffness, measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV), is a key indicator of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
• Limited availability of normal and reference values for cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR)-derived PWV hinders clinical application.
• This study addresses the need for population-specific CMR-PWV values.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine normal and reference values for CMR-assessed PWV in the general population.
• To stratify PWV values by sex, age, and blood pressure categories.
• To facilitate clinical implementation of CMR-PWV for CVD risk assessment.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 1,394 participants (45-65 years, 51% female) of the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity (NEO) study, excluding individuals with CVD or relevant treatments.
• Categorized participants into normal (<130/80 mmHg) and elevated (≥130/80 and <140/90 mmHg; ≥140/90 mmHg) blood pressure subgroups.
• Employed weighted analysis to ensure representativeness of the general population, accounting for oversampling of obese individuals.

Main Results:

• Normal mean PWV was 6.0 m/s (95% CI 5.8-6.1).
• PWV significantly increased with age and higher blood pressure categories (p < 0.001).
• Women showed higher PWV in the highest blood pressure group (p=0.005); variability increased with age, particularly in older adults with elevated blood pressure.

Conclusions:

• Provides essential normal and reference values for CMR-assessed PWV across different demographic and clinical subgroups.
• These values are crucial for accurate CVD risk stratification in clinical practice.
• Supports the broader clinical adoption of CMR-PWV for evaluating aortic stiffness and cardiovascular health.