Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2025
Non-invasive Assessment of Microvascular and Endothelial Function
Published on: January 29, 2013
Cardio-Vascular Interaction Evaluated by Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography and Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index in
Tsuyoshi Tabata1, Shuji Sato2, Ruiko Ohno2
1Department of Clinical Functional Physiology, Toho University Sakura Medical Center, 564-1 Shimoshizu, Sakura 285-8741, Chiba, Japan.
Insights
Hypertension impacts both left and right atria function, not just the left side. Arterial stiffness, measured by cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), is linked to impaired atrial function in hypertensive patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Vascular Biology
- Echocardiography
Background:
- Hypertension is known to increase arterial stiffness and affect the left atrium and ventricle.
- The impact of hypertension on the right atrium and ventricle remains less understood.
- Preserved left ventricular ejection fraction is common in hypertensive patients, necessitating further investigation into atrial function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction within the right ventricular system in hypertensive patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.
- To clarify the association between arterial stiffness and atrial function in hypertensive individuals.
- To evaluate the influence of hypertension on both left and right atrial function.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective observational study of 165 hypertensive patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.
- Echocardiography and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) measurements performed on the same day.
- Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography used to assess the phasic function of both left and right atria.
Main Results:
- Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) showed a significant negative correlation with left atrial (LA) conduit function (r = -0.448, p = 0.0001).
- CAVI also demonstrated a significant negative correlation with right atrial (RA) conduit function (r = -0.231, p = 0.003).
- Multivariate analysis confirmed that both LA and RA conduit function were independently associated with CAVI (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Arterial stiffness, indicated by CAVI, is associated with impaired conduit function in both the left and right atria of hypertensive patients.
- These findings suggest that hypertension-induced vascular changes affect atrial function beyond the left side.
- Further research is warranted to understand the clinical implications of right atrial dysfunction in hypertension.
Abstract:
Hypertension increases arterial stiffness, leading to dysfunction and structural changes in the left atrium (LA) and left ventricle (LV). However, the effects of hypertension on the right atrium (RA) and the right ventricle are still not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to clarify whether there is an interaction not only in the left ventricular system but also in the right ventricular system in hypertensive patients with preserved LV ejection fraction. The current retrospective observational study included patients (n = 858) with some risk of metabolic abnormalities (hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia) who had visited our hospital and undergone echocardiography between 2015 and 2018. Among them, we retrospectively studied 165 consecutive hypertensive patients with preserved LV ejection fraction who had echocardiography performed on the same day as a cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) in our hospital. The phasic function of both atria was evaluated by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography. CAVI was measured using Vasela 1500 (Fukuda Denshi®). In the univariate analysis, CAVI was significantly correlated with LA and RA conduit function (LA conduit function, r = -0.448, p = 0.0001; RA conduit function, r = -0.231, p = 0.003). A multivariate regression analysis revealed that LA and RA conduit function was independently associated with CAVI (LA, t = -5.418, p = 0.0001; RA, t = -2.113, p = 0.036). CAVI showed a possibility that the association between heart and vessels are contained from not only LA phasic function but also RA phasic function in hypertensive patients.
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Prepare for the Procedure:
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