title: Augmentation index is related to white matter lesions.
abstract: The augmentation index (AIx) is a measure of pulse wave reflection from peripheral muscular conduit arteries, and is assumed to increase with stiffened arteries. A white matter lesion (WML) is generally regarded as a chronic ischemic lesion, which is associated with cerebral small-vessel arteriosclerosis. The aim of this study is to elucidate the effect of pulse wave reflection on the brain. Carotid AIx was measured in a total of 205 neurologically normal adults. The correlations between AIx and WML were investigated. Two categories of WML were evaluated, periventricular hyperintensity (PVH) and deep and subcortical white matter hyperintensity (DSWMH). On univariate analysis, AIx was significantly correlated with the grades of PVH and DSWMH (P=0.0001, respectively). On multivariate analysis, AIx was correlated with PVH and DSWMH, independent of other risk factors such as age or blood pressure. Pulse wave reflection from small vessels may influence the genesis of WML.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hirosaki Graduate University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan. naka@cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Munakata
authors.forename: Norihito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shimaura
authors.forename: Kenichiroh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohkuma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D056784:Leukoencephalopathies / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index