title: [Evaluation of thoracic aortic anatomy and function with transesophageal echocardiography].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of age, gender, and hypertention on thoracic aortic anatomy and function in Chinese.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thoracic aortic diastolic and systolic diameter (Dd and Ds), intimal-medial thickness (IMT), Peterson's and Young's elastic modulus (Ep and Es), and stiffness index (beta) were measured by transesophageal echocardiography in 134 normal subjects and in 42 patients with hypertension.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age was positively correlated with IMT (r = 0.68, P < 0.01), Dd(r = 0.65, P < 0.01), Ds(r = 0.58, P < 0.01), Ep(r = 0.82, P < 0.01), Es(r = 0.71, P < 0.01), beta(r = 0.67, P < 0.01). Men had a greater diameter and IMT than women. In comparison with the control group, the patients with hypertension had significantly increased Dd (20.73 +/- 2.80 mm vs 18.20 +/- 3.03 mm, P < 0.01), Ds (22.17 +/- 2.90 mm vs 19.81 +/- 2.93 mm, P < 0.01), IMT(1.39 +/- 0.66 mm vs 1.17 +/- 0.50 mm, P < 0.05), Ep(1.47 +/- 0.84 vs 0.81 +/- 0.66, P < 0.01), Es(11.91 +/- 8.04 vs 6.49 +/- 3.93, P < 0.01), and beta(3.24 +/- 0.43 vs 2.91 +/- 0.52, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aging and hypertension significantly increase aortic diameter, thickness and stiffness. Men have higher aortic diameter and wall thickness than women but similar stiffness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Medical University, Jinan.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values