Differing effects of aging on central and peripheral blood pressures and pulse wave velocity: a direct intraarterial study.
OBJECTIVE
There have been a few noninvasive studies showing the effect of aging on blood pressure (BP) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) in different arterial segments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of aging on arterial hemodynamics in central and peripheral arteries using an invasive method.


METHODS
We observed 175 individuals undergoing coronary angiography. SBP and DBP were measured by pressure wave at the radial artery, abdominal aorta, and aortic arch. Aortic arch-abdominal aorta PWV (aoPWV) and aortic arch-radial artery PWV (arPWV) were also assessed by the foot-to-foot velocity method using a fluid-filled system.


RESULTS
SBP and pulse pressure were significantly positively correlated and DBP was significantly negatively correlated with age through the arterial tree in a multivariate analysis after adjusting for sex, coronary artery disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking status, and the use of antihypertensive agents. Pulse pressure, SBP, and DBP were significantly associated with age (ranked in order of association strength) at all studied arterial segments. Each central BP showed a consistently higher correlation with age than radial BP. aoPWV and arPWV were also significantly correlated with age, and this relationship was much stronger for aoPWV (r = 0.474, P < 0.001) than for arPWV (r = 0.224, P = 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
The present invasive study suggests that aging has a greater effect on central rather than peripheral arterial hemodynamics. The central pulse pressure was the predominant BP affected by aging, which could be caused by the stronger relationship of aging with central arterial stiffness.
Choi
Cheol Ung
CU
Cardiovascular Center, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
Kim
Eung Ju
EJ
Kim
Seong Hwan
SH
Shin
Seung Yong
SY
Choi
Un-Jung
UJ
Kim
Jin Won
JW
Lim
Hong Euy
HE
Rha
Seung-Woon
SW
Park
Chang Gyu
CG
Seo
Hong Seog
HS
Oh
Dong Joo
DJ
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged