title: Pulse pressure is an independent predictor of aortic stiffness in patients with mild to moderate chronic kidney disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In patients with end-stage renal disease pulse wave velocity (PWV) has been widely assessed, but its behavior in mild to moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been less investigated. We evaluated PWV in mild to moderate CKD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 31 patients with grade II-IV CKD. Aortic PWV (aPWV), aortic and upper limb augmentation index, creatinine clearance, C-reactive protein, serum fibrinogen, interleukin-1, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor, albumin, total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and blood pressure were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  aPWV (7.95 +/- 0.64 m/s), but not augmentation index was significantly higher (p = 0.03) in CKD patients than age-matched healthy subjects (aPWV: 6.24 +/- 0.43 m/s; upper limb: 32.8 +/- 1.9; aortic: 27.7 +/- 1.9). At univariate regression analysis, aPWV was significantly correlated with age (r = 0.44; p = 0.013), interleukin-6 (r = 0.43; p = 0.027), pulse (r = 0.39; p = 0.029), systolic blood pressure (r = 0.37; p = 0.038) and tumor necrosis factor (r = 0.39; p = 0.029). At multivariate analysis, pulse pressure was the only significant independent determinant (beta = 0.37; p = 0.05) of aPWV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study confirm an aPWV increase in mild to moderate CKD and emphasize association between pulse pressure and PWV, independently of renal failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Systemic Diseases, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stancanelli
authors.forename: Lorenzo S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Malatino
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Malaponte
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Noto
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giuffrè
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gagliano
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zoccolo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Puccia
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castellino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology*