Carotid wall inertial index increase is related to intima-media thickening in hypertensive patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and arterial wall inertial behaviour.


METHODS
The simultaneous and noninvasive assessment of the intima-media complex and arterial diameter waveform was performed using high-resolution ultrasonography. The common carotid artery of eleven normotensive subjects (NTA) and eleven mild-to-moderate essential hypertensive patients (HTA) were measured noninvasively using tonometry and an automatic densitometric analysis of B-mode images to obtain IMT and instantaneous pressure (P) and diameter (D) loops. A linear discrete time model was used to estimate the inertial index (K(M)) using a system modelling-identification approach.


RESULTS
In NTA K(M) was 0.333+/-0.256 (mmHg x s2/mm) and IMT 0.643+/-0.061 (mm), whereas in HTA K(M) was 0.798+/-0.590 (P < 0.05) and IMT 0.760+/-0.034 (P < 0.025). When all data of K(M) versus IMT of NTA and HTA were pooled in a linear regression analysis, a correlation coefficient of r = 0.61 (P < 0.05) was obtained.


CONCLUSIONS
Wall inertia increase was associated with a higher IMT, suggesting that the intima-media thickening might be partially related to vascular hypertrophy manifested as increase of inertial behaviour.
Gamero
L
L
Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Levenson
J
J
Armentano
R
R
Graf
S
S
Brandani
L
L
Simon
A
A
Baglivo
H
H
Sánchez
R
R
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D012016:Reference Values; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000503:physiopathology*