title: Relationship between augmentation index and left ventricular diastolic function in healthy women and men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sex on the correlation between arterial stiffness and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in a healthy population without significant atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects (n = 446) who had simultaneous echocardiography and arterial stiffness recordings were enrolled. From these subjects, 95 men and 72 age-matched women without atherosclerotic risk factors (hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus) were included in the analysis. We measured brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and carotid augmentation index (AIx) as arterial stiffness parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peak early diastolic mitral annular velocity (e') was significantly correlated with baPWV (men: r = -0.428, P < 0.001; women: r = -0.515, P < 0.001) and carotid AIx (men: r = -0.295, P = 0.004; women: r = -0.558, P < 0.001). The ratio of early diastolic mitral flow velocity to e' (E/e') was significantly correlated with both arterial stiffness parameters in women but not men. Multivariable regression analysis revealed carotid AIx (β = -0.257; P = 0.02) was a significant independent predictor of e' in women but not men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the correlation between AIx and LV diastolic function is stronger in women than men in a healthy population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kitaishikai Hospital, Ozu, Japan; Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology, Hypertension & Nephrology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan;
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Higashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ehime Prefectural Central Hospital, Matsuyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kitaishikai Hospital, Ozu, Japan; saito0321jp@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kitaishikai Hospital, Ozu, Japan;
authors.forename: Hiroe
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morioka
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kitaishikai Hospital, Ozu, Japan;
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aono
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kitaishikai Hospital, Ozu, Japan;
authors.forename: Toyofumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshii
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ehime Prefectural Central Hospital, Matsuyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hiasa
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kitaishikai Hospital, Ozu, Japan;
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sumimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology, Hypertension & Nephrology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan;
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology, Hypertension & Nephrology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan;
authors.forename: Katsuji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology, Hypertension & Nephrology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan;
authors.forename: Akiyoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology, Hypertension & Nephrology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan;
authors.forename: Jitsuo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Higaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003971:Diastole; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: arterial stiffness; augmentation index; blood pressure; diastolic function; hypertension; sex difference.