title: Association of renal resistive index with aortic pulse wave velocity in hypertensive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent data suggest that renal haemodynamic parameters obtained by duplex Doppler sonography, especially the intrarenal resistive index (RI), may be associated with systemic vascular changes. However, conflicting data exist about the independent relationship between aortic stiffness and RI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between RI and arterial stiffness, assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV), in hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 264 hypertensive subjects aged between 30 and 70 years. They were divided into two groups, either with normal renal function (n = 140) or with chronic kidney disease (CKD) (n = 124). Each patient underwent assessment of ultrasonographic renal RI and measurement of aPWV through oscillometric device.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with renal RI>0.7 showed higher values of aPWV, both in the overall population (p < 0.001) and in the subgroups with (p < 0.01) and without CKD (p < 0.01). Moreover, statistically significant correlations were observed between aPWV and RI in the whole population (r = 0.38, p < 0.001) and in the subgroups with (r = 0.35, p < 0.001) and without CKD (r = 0.31, p < 0.001). These correlations held even after adjustment for several confounding factors in multivariate analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results seem to corroborate the concept that the RI may be considered as a marker of systemic vascular changes and therefore a predictor of cardiovascular risk.
authors: University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors: Giulio
authors: G
authors: Geraci
authors: University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy giuseppe.mule@unipa.it.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Mulè
authors: University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors: Calogero
authors: C
authors: Geraci
authors: University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors: Manuela
authors: M
authors: Mogavero
authors: University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: D'Ignoto
authors: University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors: Massimiliano
authors: M
authors: Morreale
authors: University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors: Anna Carola
authors: AC
authors: Foraci
authors: University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors: Santina
authors: S
authors: Cottone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012079:Renal Circulation; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014655:Vascular Resistance; D059289:Vascular Stiffness
keywords: Aortic pulse wave velocity; arterial hypertension; arterial stiffness; renal Doppler ultrasonography; renal resistive index