title: Radial augmentation index is a surrogate marker of atherosclerotic burden in a primary prevention cohort.
abstract: Arterial stiffness is linked to cardiovascular risk and predicts clinical events independently of peripheral blood pressure. The potential relationship between the augmentation index measured at the radial artery and asymptomatic atherosclerosis remains unclear however. In order to assess relationship between the peripheral augmentation index and traditional risk factors, we estimated cardiovascular risk and presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in a large asymptomatic population in primary prevention. Patients in primary prevention (n = 1007) with at least 1 cardiovascular risk factor were included and radial augmentation index was measured. Maximum common carotid intima-media thickness, the presence of plaque and Framingham 10 year cardiovascular risk score were assessed. The mean augmentation index was 81 ± 13% in a population composed of 55% males (mean age 56 years). The augmentation index differed significantly between men (77 ± 12%) and women (86 ± 12%). In the global population, augmentation index was negatively correlated to height and weight, and positively correlated to cardiovascular risk, age, systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, diabetes, HDL-Cholesterol, fasting glucose, intima-media thickness and to the presence of plaques. Multivariate analysis in the global and in the male population revealed an independent and positive relationship between augmentation index and intima-media thickness on the one hand, and between augmentation index and the presence of plaque on the other. Our results confirm that there are significant relationships between a surrogate marker of arterial stiffness and subclinical atherosclerosis in a large primary prevention population.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Prévention Cardiovasculaire, Service d'Endocrinologie-Métabolisme, Assistance Publique/Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France; Dyslipoproteinemia and Atherosclerosis Research Unit, UMRS 939, National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) and Pierre et Marie Curie University (UPMC - Paris VI), Paris, France. Electronic address: David.rosenbaum@psl.aphp.fr.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rosenbaum
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giral
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Fabiana H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Rached
authors.forename: Jean Francois
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bruckert
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Girerd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000473:pathology; D011322:Primary Prevention; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cardiovascular risk; Carotid plaques; Intima-media thickness; Radial augmentation index; Wave reflections