Alteration of arterial distensibility in systemic sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the distensibility of large arteries in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).


METHODS
Prospective case-control study including unselected patients with SSc.


METHODS
One cardiology and two internal medicine units in a teaching hospital.


METHODS
Eighteen patients with SSc and controls matched for age, sex, height, weight and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (BP).


METHODS
The timing of Korotkoff's sounds (QKD interval), a newly described noninvasive ambulatory method was used to measure arterial distensibility during 24 h.


METHODS
Two endpoints were used: QKD 100-60 (normalized for a heart rate of 100 beats min-1 and a systolic BP of 100 mmHg) and the slope of QKD against pulse pressure.


RESULTS
The patients with SSc had a lower slope of QKD against pulse pressure than the controls (median 0.55, range 0-1.21, versus 0.92, range 0.5-1.34, respectively; P = 0.003), and a lower QKD 100-60 (medians/ranges respectively 191 [162-216] and 203 [169-231]: P = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that arterial distensibility of large arteries is decreased in SSc.
Constans
J
J
Service de Médecine Interne et Pathologie Vasculaire, Hôpital Saint-André, Bordeaux, France.
Gosse
P
P
Pellegrin
J L
JL
Ansoborlo
P
P
Leng
B
B
Clémenty
J
J
Conri
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014664:Vasodilation