Aortic stiffness assessed by global pulse wave velocity in postmenopausal women: an ultrasonographic study.
OBJECTIVE
The first goal of our study was to investigate major determinants of aortic stiffness in postmenopausal women using an echocardiographic method to calculate global pulse wave velocity (PWVg) rather than the less accurate carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWVc). The second goal was to relate PWVg to the absolute risk of major cardiovascular (CV) events estimated by CV risk factors.


METHODS
Two hundred forty-four consecutive women who presented to our heart station were screened. One hundred twenty-two were postmenopausal, either natural or surgical, whereas 122 were premenopausal. The mean age of the patients was 54 ± 13 years. Individuals were categorized as current smokers, former smokers, or nonsmokers and hypertensive or not. Hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus were defined. Aortic stiffness was assessed by PWVg measured with pulsed Doppler, the interval between the beginning of QRS complex and the foot of the systolic upstroke in the Doppler spectral envelope was calculated at the aortic valve site and at the right common femoral artery. PWVg was calculated between the aortic valve and right common femoral artery by dividing the straight line distance between the two by the transit time.


RESULTS
There was a highly significant statistical difference (P < 0.0012) in PWVg between menstruating women and postmenopausal women. Similarly, this difference in PWVg was also noted among the menstruating population (P < 0.0014) when comparing normotensive women and hypertensive women. In postmenopausal women, PWVg was 6.8 m/sec in normotensive women and 7.56 m/sec in hypertensive women (P < 0.007).


CONCLUSIONS
PWVg was increased in postmenopausal women compared with menstruating women. Systemic hypertension has an independent, but additive effect on aortic stiffness assessed by PWVg. Our study supports the usefulness of the assessment of aortic stiffness as a marker of CV disease and to identify subjects at risk at an early age.
ASL BR, District Cardiology Brindisi, Italy.
Pasquale
P
Palmiero
Maria
M
Maiello
David D
DD
Daly
Marco Matteo
MM
Ciccone
Navin C
NC
Nanda
D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D012307:Risk Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*