title: Age-related changes of regional pulse wave velocity in the descending aorta using Fourier velocity encoded M-mode.
abstract: Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an independent determinant of cardiovascular risk. Although aortic stiffening with age is well documented, the interaction between aging and regional aortic PWV is still a debated question. We measured global and regional PWV in the descending aorta of 56 healthy subjects aged 25-76 years using a one-dimensional, interleaved, Fourier velocity encoded pulse sequence with cylindrical excitation. Repeatability across two magnetic resonance examinations (n = 19) and accuracy against intravascular pressure measurements (n = 4) were assessed. The global PWV was found to increase nonlinearly with age. The thoracic aorta was found to stiffen the most with age (PWV [thoracic, 20-40 years] = 4.7 ± 1.1 m/s; PWV [thoracic, 60-80 years] = 7.9 ± 1.5 m/s), followed by the mid- (PWV [mid-abdominal, 20-40 years] = 4.9 ± 1.3 m/s; PWV [mid-abdominal, 60-80 years] = 7.4 ± 1.9 m/s) and distal abdominal aorta (PWV [distal abdominal, 20-40 years] = 4.8 ± 1.4 m/s; PWV [distal abdominal, 60-80 years] = 5.7 ± 1.4 m/s). Good agreement was found between repeated magnetic resonance measurements and between magnetic resonance PWVs and the gold-standard. Fourier velocity encoded M-mode allowed to measure global and regional PWV in the descending aorta. There was a preferential stiffening of the thoracic aorta with age, which may be due to progressive fragmentation of elastin fibers in this region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom. vt232@cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Taviani
authors.forename: Stacey S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hickson
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: Carmel M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: McEniery
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Jonathan H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Gillard
authors.forename: Ian B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Graves
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001011:Aorta / Q000502:physiology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity