title: Arterial stiffness in adult patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased arterial stiffness is an important predictor of cardiovascular (CVS) morbidity and mortality. Adults suffering from cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD) represent a population of patients at particular risk of CVS events. Erythrocytosis is a cardinal feature of CCHD but little is known about any possible interaction between hematological derangements and arterial stiffness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen CCHD patients (6 men and 8 women, mean age 32 +/- 3 years) and 13 age-matched healthy subjects were recruited.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean arterial stiffness, as estimated by stiffness index of digital volume pulse (SI(DVP)) values was similar in the 2 groups (7.9 +/- 0.7 m/s vs. 7.2 +/- 0.4 m/s, P = .38). In the control subjects arterial stiffness showed a strong correlation with age and mean arterial pressure (r = 0.64, P = .02 and r = 0.58, P = .036, respectively). In patients with CCHD, arterial stiffness correlated with mean arterial pressure but not with age (r = 0.76, P = .002 and r =-0.13, P = .65, respectively). However, SI(DVP) correlated with hematocrit in CCHD patients (r = 0.69, P = .006), but not in healthy controls. The mean arterial pressure in patients with CCHD but not in controls showed a highly significant, positive correlation with the hematocrit level (r = 0.68, P = .008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arterial stiffness in CCHD patients is affected by arterial pressure and hematocrit concentration but did not differ significantly from that in age-matched healthy controls. It is unlikely that increased arterial stiffness may contribute to cardio- and cerebrovascular complication in adults with CCHD.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology-Intensive Therapy, University School of Medicine, Poznan, Poland. awykreto@ptkardio.pl
authors: Andrzej
authors: A
authors: Wykretowicz
authors: Olga
authors: O
authors: Trojnarska
authors: Przemyslw
authors: P
authors: Guzik
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Katarzyska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004548:Elasticity; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male