Aortic pathophysiology by cardiovascular magnetic resonance in patients with clinical suspicion of coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
To correlate cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)-based measurement of aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) with serum markers for atherosclerosis and plaque burden in the thoracic aorta.


METHODS
Individuals with risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis underwent CMR pulse wave velocity examination of the descending thoracic aorta and computed tomography for coronary calcium scoring. Inversion recovery images allowed quantification of aortic plaque. Serum lipids and c-reactive protein levels were measured.


RESULTS
Mean PWV did not correlate with presence of aortic plaque (p = 0.55). Subgroup analysis showed no significant correlation with PWV and total plaque. PWV and pulse pressure correlated (PP) (R2 0.38, p = 0.0003), but PWV and other predictor variables did not. Total plaque area correlated with aortic diameter (p = 0.0066).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with suspected coronary artery disease, aortic pulse wave velocity reflects increased aortic stiffness demonstrated by elevated pulse pressure, but does not directly correlate with aortic plaque or serum markers for arterial disease.
Auseon
Alex J
AJ
Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA.
Tran
Tam
T
Garcia
Anne M
AM
Hardy
Christopher J
CJ
Valavalkar
Prajakta
P
Moeschberger
Melvin
M
Raman
Subha V
SV
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D008055:Lipids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein