title: Aortic pathophysiology by cardiovascular magnetic resonance in patients with clinical suspicion of coronary artery disease.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Alex J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Auseon
authors.forename: Tam
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: Prajakta
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valavalkar
authors.forename: Melvin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moeschberger
authors.forename: Subha V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Raman
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein