Arterial stiffness in adult patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease.
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.
Wykretowicz
Andrzej
A
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology-Intensive Therapy, University School of Medicine, Poznan, Poland. awykreto@ptkardio.pl
Trojnarska
Olga
O
Guzik
Przemyslw
P
Katarzyska
Agnieszka
A
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