Arterial distensibility in Wegener's granulomatosis: a carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis; that chronic inflammation may impair vascular function and lead to an increase of arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV) in patients with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG).


METHODS
We recruited 5 patients with WG and 5 healthy age and sex matched controls in this cross-sectional case-controlled study. Aortic PWV was determined by using an automatic device (Complior Colson, France), which allowed on-line pulse wave recording and automatic calculation of PWV.


RESULTS
The carotid-femoral (aortic) PWV was increased in patients with WG as compared with control group (p=0.04). Although we found positive correlation between PWV and heart rate (r=0.75, p=0.01), we did not find any significant correlation between PWV and anthropometric and other hemodynamic parameters (p>0.05). In addition, we found positive correlation between PWV and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in patients with WG (r=0.90, p=0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Pulse wave velocity is increased and arterial distensibility decreased in patients with WG. Measurements of carotid-femoral (aortic) PWV may provide an easy and noninvasive technique to identify patients at increased risk of arterial disease.
Yildiz
Mustafa
M
Sakarya University School of Health, Sakarya, and Department of Internal Medicine, Dr Lütfi Kirdar Kartal Educational and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. mustafayilldiz@yahoo.com
Soy
Mehmet
M
Kürüm
Turhan
T
Yildiz
Banu Sahin
BS
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D014463:Ultrasonography