title: Pulse wave velocity is more closely associated with cardiovascular risk than augmentation index in the relatively low-risk population.
abstract: Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AI) are both indirect indicators of arterial stiffness, which is an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality in cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the association between carotid AI (CAI), carotid-femoral PWV (CFPWV), and Framingham risk score (FRS), and to evaluate the factors determining CAI and CFPWV. Carotid AI and CFPWV were measured by applanation tonometry in 177 consecutive subjects without evidence of significant cardiovascular disease. Correlations between CAI and FRS and CFPWV and FRS were analyzed and major determinants of CAI and CFPWV were assessed. The mean age was 60.5 +/- 11.9 years and 112 (63%) of study patients were men. There was a significant association between CFPWV and FRS (r = 0.417, P < 0.001) and a weaker but also significant relation between CAI and FRS (r = 0.267, P < 0.001). CFPWV was significantly related to FRS in both men and women (P < 0.001 in both sexes), whereas the relation between CAI and FRS was significant only in women (P < 0.001). Our results suggest that CFPWV may be associated with CVD risk irrespective of sex, whereas CAI may be associated with CVD risk in women only.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Cardiac and Vascular Center, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, #50 Irwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Bong Gun
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jeong Bae
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soo Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sang Yeub
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jung Hyuk
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Ji Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yong Hwan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jin-Oh
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sang-Chol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seung Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors