Relation between aortic stiffness and coronary flow reserve in patients with coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relation between aortic stiffness and coronary flow reserve (CFR) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).


METHODS
Observational study.


METHODS
Coronary care unit of a primary care hospital.


METHODS
192 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography.


METHODS
Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV), CFR, and severity of CAD.


RESULTS
According to the angiographic findings, patients were divided into four subgroups: patients without significant stenosis (normal coronary artery (NCA) group, n = 28) and those with one vessel disease (1VD group, n = 92), two vessel disease (2VD group, n = 50), or three vessel disease (3VD group, n = 22). ba-PWV increased with the number of diseased vessels and was significantly correlated with the number of diseased vessels (NCA group v 1VD group v 2VD group v 3VD group: 1481 (252) v 1505 (278) v 1577 (266) v 1727 (347) cm/s, p < 0.001). CFR had a significant negative correlation with ba-PWV (r = -0.45, p < 0.0001). The diastolic to systolic velocity ratio obtained in 45 patients also was significantly correlated with ba-PWV (r = -0.35, p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis showed that ba-PWV was an independent determinant of CFR (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Coronary flow is altered with aortic stiffening in patients with CAD. These results suggest one possible mechanism for recent reports that aortic stiffness is a key cardiovascular risk factor.
Fukuda
D
D
Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, 1-4-3, Asahimachi, Abenoku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan. daiju@qg7.so-net.ne.jp
Yoshiyama
M
M
Shimada
K
K
Yamashita
H
H
Ehara
S
S
Nakamura
Y
Y
Kamimori
K
K
Tanaka
A
A
Kawarabayashi
T
T
Yoshikawa
J
J
D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply; D001011:Aorta / Q000503:physiopathology; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000502:physiology; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology