title: Heart disease and changes in pulse wave velocity and pulse pressure amplification in the elderly over 80 years: the PARTAGE Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and pulse pressure amplification (PPA) are independent predictors of cardiovascular risk, mainly in the elderly. The aim of the current research was to determine the influence of PPA and PWV, both manifestations of arterial stiffness, on heart disease in the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 1042 participants (814 women) aged 80 years and over who participated in the PARTAGE study. Carotid-femoral PWV was determined in order to assess aortic stiffness. Central aortic blood pressure values and central pulse wave analysis were obtained using the calibration method applied on the common carotid artery by a PulsePen tonometer. Amplification phenomenon was expressed as PPA, that is, the percentage of increase of pulse pressure in the brachial artery relative to central pulse pressure. Heart disease was defined as presence of heart failure, ischemic heart disease or atrial fibrillation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PPA was significantly lower in patients with heart disease, independently of the presence of hypertension, diabetes or both. Heart disease was present in 61.8% of participants with PPA less than 10%, in 46.2% of participants with PPA between 10 and 20% (P < 0.01), in 42.6% of participants with PPA between 20 and 30% (P < 0.005) and in 32.5% of participants with PPA more than 30% (P < 0.001). PWV, on the contrary, was not influenced by the presence of heart disease (12.3 ± 4.0 vs. 13.5 ± 4.6 m/s) but significantly increased in presence of hypertension (14.4 ± 5.0 m/s, P < 0.001) or diabetes (16.1 ± 5.1 m/s, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the very elderly, low brachial/aortic PPA is associated with higher prevalence of heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, University Hospital of Nancy, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salvi
authors.forename: Michel E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Safar
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Labat
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lacolley
authors.forename: Athanase
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benetos
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001011:Aorta / Q000502:physiology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004548:Elasticity / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000502:physiology; D005602:France; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors