Increased brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity is associated with impaired endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND
Pulse wave velocity and flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) are widely used as noninvasive modalities for evaluating atherosclerosis. However, it is not known whether pulse wave velocity is related to FMD in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the alteration in brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and endothelial function in CAD patients.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients with CAD and thirty control subjects were recruited for this study. baPWV was measured non-invasively using a VP 1000 automated PWV/ABI analyzer (PWV/ABI, Colin Co. Ltd., Komaki, Japan). Endothelial function as reflected by FMD in the brachial artery was assessed with a high-resolution ultrasound device.


RESULTS
baPWV was increased in CAD patients compared with control subjects [(1756.1 +/- 253.1) cm/s vs (1495.3 +/- 202.3) cm/s, P < 0.01]. FMD was significantly reduced in CAD patients compared with control subjects [(5.2 +/- 2.1)% vs (11.1 +/- 4.4)%, P < 0.01]. baPWV correlated with FMD (r = -0.68, P < 0.001). The endothelium-independent vasodilation induced by sublingual nitroglycerin in the brachial artery was similar in the CAD group compared with the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
CAD is associated with increased baPWV and endothelial dysfunction. Increased baPWV parallels diminished endothelial function. Our data therefore suggest that baPWV can be used as a noninvasive surrogate index in clinical evaluation of endothelial function.
Liu
Dong-hong
DH
Department of Ultrasound, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Wang
Yan
Y
Liao
Xin-xue
XX
Xu
Ming-guo
MG
Wang
Jie-mei
JM
Yang
Zhen
Z
Chen
Long
L
Lü
Ming-de
MD
Lu
Kun
K
Tao
Jun
J
D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014664:Vasodilation