title: Association of cardio-ankle vascular index with brain natriuretic peptide levels in hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Plasma brain natriuteric peptide (BNP) is an established marker of cardiovascular events in individuals without heart failure. Although the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is clinically used as a parameter of arterial stiffness, its usefulness for predicting cardiovascular events has not been fully examined. This study aimed to evaluate the association among CAVIs, plasma BNP levels and left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and dysfunction in hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 136 hypertensive patients (69±10 years) who had been taking antihypertensive medications for at least one year. Echocardiography was performed to evaluate LV hypertrophy and function. Plasma BNP levels and CAVIs were also measured simultaneously.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CAVI was correlated with plasma BNP (r =0.245, p =0.004). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed three independent determinants of CAVI: age (β =0.568, p <0.001), diameter of ascending aorta (β =0.289, p <0.001), and diabetes (β =0.207, p =0.003). In addition, multiple linear regression analysis revealed two independent determinants of the plasma BNP level: left atrial diameter (β =0.334, p <0.001) and CAVI (β =0.256, p =0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study indicates that increased CAVI is independently associated with elevated plasma BNP produced by increased LV afterload, that is, arterial stiffness, in hypertensive patients. Moreover, the present study raises the possibility that CAVI may be as useful as the plasma BNP level for predicting the risk of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients.
authors: Department of Integrated Medicine, Kagawa University, Japan. masugata@med.kagawa-u.ac.jp
authors: Hisashi
authors: H
authors: Masugata
authors: Shoichi
authors: S
authors: Senda
authors: Michio
authors: M
authors: Inukai
authors: Koji
authors: K
authors: Murao
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Himoto
authors: Naohisa
authors: N
authors: Hosomi
authors: Kazushi
authors: K
authors: Murakami
authors: Takahisa
authors: T
authors: Noma
authors: Masakazu
authors: M
authors: Kohno
authors: Hiroki
authors: H
authors: Okada
authors: Fuminori
authors: F
authors: Goda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D014655:Vascular Resistance
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain