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Updated: Jul 9, 2025
Pulse Wave Velocity Testing in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
Published on: February 7, 2014
Pulse wave analysis measurements: important, underestimated and undervalued parameters in cardiovascular health
Philip Jan Claessens1, Ruth Peeters2, Louis Claessens3
1UAntwerp, University Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Insights
Pulse wave analysis reveals central aortic systolic blood pressure (CABPS) as a key factor in arterial stiffness and hypertension. Further research may link central aortic augmented pressure (CAAP) to ADHD diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular physiology
- Medical diagnostics
- Pediatric neurology
Background:
- Central aortic stiffness is a recognized cardiovascular disease marker.
- Pulse wave velocity (PWV) assesses arterial distensibility.
- Pulse wave analysis (PWA) offers additional cardiovascular risk insights: central aortic systolic blood pressure (CABPS), central aortic pulse pressure (CAPP), central aortic reflection magnitude (CARM), central aortic augmented pressure (CAAP), and central aortic augmentation index (CAAIx).
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the clinical utility of PWA measurements in specific cardiovascular conditions.
- To evaluate PWA's role in diagnosing and monitoring cardiovascular diseases.
- To explore PWA's potential in diagnosing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Main Methods:
- Included 1066 subjects across four cohorts: healthy (NL), hypertensive (HP), ischemic heart disease (IHD), and valvular heart disease (VHD).
- Analyzed arterial stiffness using Sphygmocor XCEL systems for PWA and PWV.
- Investigated PWA in 14 ADHD patients undergoing methylphenidate treatment initiation.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in PWA measurements were observed between healthy and hypertensive cohorts across age groups.
- CABPS emerged as a critical factor in arterial stiffness risk stratification.
- No significant PWA variations were found between IHD/VHD cohorts and healthy controls.
- Elevated CAAP, CAAIx, and CARM were noted in young ADHD patients (0-10 years).
Conclusions:
- CABPS is a significant factor in arterial stiffness.
- PWA and PWV are crucial for evaluating and monitoring hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
- CAAP may be a key diagnostic parameter for ADHD, requiring further investigation.
Background:
Central aortic stiffness is established as a reliable measure of cardiovascular disease. While pulse wave velocity (PWV) analysis measures arterial distensibility, risk profile of cardiovascular diseases can be expanded with following pulse wave analysis measurements: central aortic systolic blood pressure (CABPS), central aortic pulse pressure (CAPP), central aortic reflection magnitude (CARM), central aortic augmented pressure (CAAP) and central aortic augmentation index (CAAIx). The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical usefulness and importance of pulse wave analysis measurements in specific cardiovascular conditions and diseases, both in term of diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring.
Methods:
One thousand sixty-six subjects were included. According to age bracket, four cohorts were investigated-healthy subjects (NL), hypertensive patients (HP), ischemic heart disease (IHD) and valvular heart disease (VHD) patients. Arterial stiffness was analyzed through Sphygmocor XCEL Central Blood Pressure Measurement System and Sphygmocor XCEL PWV Measurement System. Furthermore we observed the pulse wave analysis measurements of 14 patients with diagnose of ADHD who were referred by a child psychiatrist, in order to investigate the initiation of methylphenidate treatment.
Results:
Statistically significant differences were found between NL and HP cohorts, across almost all age brackets, regarding pulse wave analysis measurements. In the risk stratification of arterial stiffness hypertension and especially central aortic blood pressure systolic (CABPS) seems a determining factor. Pulse wave analysis measurements for IHD and VHD cohort comparisons with NL counterparts, revealed non- statistically significant variations. Elevated CAAP, CAAIx and CARM within the youngest age group (0-10 years) in attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD) patients warrant attention.
Conclusions:
Following such investigations, CABPS appears as a robust predominant factor in problems of arterial stiffness. Pulse wave analysis and PWV are important parameters in the evaluation and monitoring of arterial hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. There is a hypothesis that CAAP could be an important and even decisive parameter in the diagnosis of ADHD. Further investigation needed.
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