Availability of cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) as a screening tool for atherosclerosis.
BACKGROUND
A novel index, the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), which reflects the stiffness of the aorta, femoral artery, and tibial artery, was recently developed by measuring brachial - ankle pulse wave velocity and blood pressure.


RESULTS
In the present study 1,014 Japanese adults from the general population were screened to clarify the correlation between CAVI and other existing markers related to atherosclerosis, including carotid intima - media thickness (CIMT) and homocysteine (HCY). CAVI was strongly associated with age in both men and women. After adjustment for age and sex, CAVI was correlated with systolic and diastolic blood pressures. In addition, CAVI was significantly correlated with total cholesterol hemoglobin A(1c) and total HCY, as well as CIMT.


CONCLUSIONS
CAVI is an appropriate screening tool for atherosclerosis, but further studies are needed to establish a convenient and effective screening system using it.
Kadota
Koichiro
K
Department of General Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
Takamura
Noboru
N
Aoyagi
Kiyoshi
K
Yamasaki
Hironori
H
Usa
Toshiro
T
Nakazato
Mio
M
Maeda
Takahiro
T
Wada
Mitsuhiro
M
Nakashima
Ken-ichiro
K
Abe
Koh
K
Takeshima
Fuminao
F
Ozono
Yoshiyuki
Y
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011674:Pulse; D012737:Sex Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000503:physiopathology
D015415:Biomarkers; D002784:Cholesterol; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006710:Homocysteine; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human