title: Aortic pulse pressure is related to the presence and extent of coronary artery disease in men undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography: a multicenter study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the general population, pulse pressure (PP) is a correlate of cardiovascular outcomes. Few data are available regarding the links between PP and documented coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  From July 2000 to January 2002, a total of 1337 patients referred for a first diagnostic coronary angiogram at 75 participating centers were prospectively included. Of these individuals, 280 patients receiving no hypertensive therapy constituted the study population. Pulse pressure was recorded in the aortic root before angiography, and baseline characteristics, medical history, treatment used, and data from coronary angiography were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the whole population, aortic PP strongly correlated with the presence and extent of CAD in univariate analyses. However, the correlation disappeared in multivariate analysis, and a strong interaction with gender was found. In women (n = 82), aortic PP was not an independent predictor of CAD. However, in men (n = 198) an independent correlation between aortic PP and CAD was found, together with age and hypercholesterolemia. In addition, PP was strongly correlated with the extent of CAD (no disease, 51 +/- 16 mm Hg; one or two stenoses, 54 +/- 18 mm Hg; and more than two stenoses: 64 +/- 20 mm Hg).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this multicenter study, aortic PP was significantly correlated with the presence and extent of CAD in patients without antihypertensive therapy. This correlation, however, was independent of other risk factors for CAD in men but not in women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, 20 rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France. nicolas.danchin@egp.ap-hop-paris.fr
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Danchin
authors.forename: Athanase
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benetos
authors.forename: Marilucy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lopez-Sublet
authors.forename: Thibaud
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Demicheli
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Safar
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mourad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors