title: Association of premature ventricular complexes with central aortic pressure indices and pulse wave velocity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although premature ventricular complex (PVC) occurs frequently, its predisposing factors have rarely been studied. We examined the connection between PVC and aortic stiffness.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 200 consecutive patients (< 50 years, 95 men, mean age 36 +/- 10 years) who received a 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography examination for palpitation and PVC loads. Muscular artery pulse wave velocity (PWVm) and 4 main aortic pressure indices-augmented pressure, augmentation index (AI(x)), AI(x) corrected for a steady heart rate of 75 beat/min, and the extra workload-were measured, and atherosclerosis risk was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-three (42%) patients had no PVC loads; 58 (29%) patients had low loads (< 24 beat/d), and 59 (29%) had high loads (> or = 24 beat/d). Only age and hyperlipidemia were significantly associated with PVC loads. Using a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for potential confounders, we found that AI(x) (odds ratio [OR] 1.88, 95% CI 1.20-2.91, P = .005); augmented pressure (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.02-2.43, P = .042); AI(x) corrected for a steady heart rate of 75 beat/min (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.18-2.82, P = .007); and PWVm (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.07-2.19, P = .021) were independent factors for PVC loads.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased central aortic pressure indices as well as PWVm were associated with increased PVC loads in young patients undergoing 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography. Central aortic properties probably contributed to the occurrence of PVC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ju-Yi
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei-Chuan
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Yung-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Cheng-Han
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Liang-Miin
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Ting-Hsing
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Yi-Heng
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jyh-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-Jen
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011674:Pulse; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000503:physiopathology*