title: Central aortic pressure in aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection: a novel prognostic marker.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some aortic aneurysm (AA) or aortic dissection (AD) patients can be observed to detect disease progression if optimal blood pressure is achieved. However, in another group of patients, disease progression occurs despite well-controlled blood pressure. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of central aortic pressure in AA and AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six newly diagnosed AA or AD patients (37 men, age: 60.3 +/- 12.9 years) who did not need urgent surgery or interventional treatment were enrolled. All patients achieved brachial SBP < or = 120 mm Hg with beta-blocker-based treatment within 1 month. Then, central aortic pressure parameters were noninvasively checked with radial tonometry (SphygmoCor Px Pulse Wave Analysis System, AtCor Medical, Sydney, Australia). All patients were monitored for at least 6 months and for up to 5 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-three patients did well without disease progression. However, disease progression was noted despite well-controlled brachial blood pressure in 23 patients. In intergroup comparisons, central aortic systolic pressure (112.7 +/- 3.5 mm Hg vs. 104.3 +/- 7.5 mm Hg) and aortic augmentation index (AI: 33.4 +/- 13.5% vs. 23.4 +/- 8.7%) were significantly high in the disease progression group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In some AA or AD patients, central aortic pressure and AI can be considered as surrogate prognostic markers.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, Dept. of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeonggeun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Sang-Hak
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Guk
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Yangsoo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Won-Heum
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Dong-Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012372:ROC Curve
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists