Transthoracic echocardiographic assessment of proximal ascending aorta elasticity in familial heterozygous hypercholesterolemia patients.
BACKGROUND
Decreased elasticity of the aorta is associated with aging and several risk factors of atherosclerosis. The data regarding this phenomenon in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia are rather sparse.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate non-invasively the elasticity of the proximal ascending aorta of 51 heterozygous FH patients compared to 42 normal age and gender-matched controls.


METHODS
Aortic elasticity was estimated by transthoracic echocardiography using the "pressure-strain" elastic modulus and aortic strain formulas.


RESULTS
The elastic modulus score was higher in the FH group than in the controls (1.12 +/- 0.91 10(6) dynes/cm2 vs. 0.65 +/- 0.46 10(6) dynes/cm2 respectively, P = 0.01). This was consistent in both the pediatric (0.5 +/- 0.2 10(6) dynes/cm2 vs. 0.4 +/- 0.1 10(6) dynes/cm2 respectively, P = 0.009) and adult subgroups (1.3 +/- 1.0 10(6) dynes/cm2 vs. 0.8 +/- 0.5 10(6) dynes/cm2 respectively, P = 0.0004). Aortic strain was significantly lower in patients with FH than in controls (6 +/- 4% vs. 9 +/- 5% respectively, P = 0.0002). These findings reflected decreased elasticity of the proximal ascending aorta in the FH patients. In multivariate analysis, age, serum cholesterol level and serum triglycerides level were the independent predictors of the elastic modulus score, whereas age was the predictor of aortic strain.


CONCLUSIONS
The elasticity of the proximal ascending aorta is decreased in heterozygous FH patients.
Vaturi
Mordehay
M
Dan Scheingarten Echocardiography Unit and Valvular Clinic, Department of Cardiology, Rabin Medical Center, (Beilinson Campus), Petah Tiqva, Israel.
Beigel
Yitzhak
Y
Adler
Yehuda
Y
Mansur
Mali
M
Fainaru
Menachem
M
Sagie
Alex
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index