Aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of fatal stroke in essential hypertension.
OBJECTIVE
Pulse pressure is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular events than systolic or diastolic blood pressure in large cohorts of French and North American patients. However, its influence on stroke is controversial. Large-artery stiffness is the main determinant of pulse pressure. The influence of arterial stiffness on the occurrence of stroke has never been demonstrated. Our aim was to establish the relationship between aortic stiffness and stroke death in hypertensive patients.


METHODS
We included, in a longitudinal study, 1715 essential hypertensive patients who had a measurement of arterial stiffness at entry (ie, between 1980 and 2001) and no overt cardiovascular disease or symptoms. Mean follow-up was 7.9 years. At entry, aortic stiffness was assessed from the carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to estimate the relative risk (RR) of stroke and coronary deaths.


RESULTS
Mean+/-SD age at entry was 51+/-13 years. Twenty-five fatal strokes and 35 fatal coronary events occurred. Pulse wave velocity significantly predicted the occurrence of stroke death in the whole population. There was a RR increase of 1.72 (95% CI, 1.48 to 1.96; P<0.0001) for each SD increase in pulse wave velocity (4 m/s). The predictive value of pulse wave velocity remained significant (RR=1.39 [95% CI, 1.08 to 1.72]; P=0.02) after full adjustment for classic cardiovascular risk factors, including age, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, mean blood pressure, and pulse pressure. In this population, pulse pressure significantly predicted stroke in univariate analysis, with a RR increase of 1.33 (95% CI, 1.16 to 1.51) for each 10 mm Hg of pulse pressure (P<0.0001) but not after adjustment for age (RR=1.19 [95% CI, 0.96 to 1.47]; P=0.10).


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides the first evidence, in a longitudinal study, that aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of fatal stroke in patients with essential hypertension.
Laurent
Stéphane
S
Department of Pharmacology and INSERM EMI 0107, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France. stephane.laurent@egp.ap-hop-paris.fr
Katsahian
Sandrine
S
Fassot
Céline
C
Tropeano
Anne-Isabelle
AI
Gautier
Isabelle
I
Laloux
Brigitte
B
Boutouyrie
Pierre
P
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002339:Carotid Arteries; D015897:Comorbidity; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000401:mortality; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010297:Paris / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis