title: Telemetric ambulatory arterial stiffness index, a predictor of cardio-cerebro-vascular mortality, is associated with aortic stiffness-determining factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) has been proposed as a new measure of arterial stiffness for predicting cardio-cerebro-vascular morbidity and mortality. However, there has been no research on the direct relationships between AASI and arterial stiffness-determining factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We utilized beat-to-beat intra-aortic blood pressure (BP) telemetry to characterize AASI in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). By determination of aortic structural components and analysis of their correlations with AASI, we provided the first direct evidence for the associations between AASI and arterial stiffness-determining factors including the collagen content and collagen/elastin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ambulatory arterial stiffness index was positively correlated with pulse pressure in both WKY and SHR, less dependent on BP and BP variability than pulse pressure, and relatively stable, especially the number of BP readings not less than ~36. The correlations between AASI and aortic components were comparable for various AASI values derived from BP readings not less than ~36. Not only AASI but also BP variability and pulse pressure demonstrated a direct relationship with arterial stiffness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate AASI may become a routine measure in human arterial stiffness assessment. It is recommended to use a cluster of parameters such as AASI, BP variability, and pulse pressure for evaluating arterial stiffness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tian-Ying
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Sai-Long
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xue-Wen
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yun-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Chao-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Miao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D009017:Morbidity; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D013686:Telemetry; D059289:Vascular Stiffness
keywords: Aorta; Arterial stiffness; Blood pressure telemetry; Collagen; Elastin; Heart disease; Stroke