title: Significance of arterial stiffness and relationship with other noninvasive methods for the assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis inpatients with metabolic syndrome.
abstract: Measurement of arterial stiffness is an accurate method of assessment of endothelial dysfunction, together with other noninvasive methods, in the diagnosis of atherosclerotic burden in patients with MetS.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 63 patients: MetS group (18 men, 20 women, mean age 58.86 +/- 8.86 years) and the control group (14 men, 11 women, mean age 59.68 +/- 10.0 years). They underwent the following examinations: assessment of arterial stiffness--pulse wave velocity (PWVao), augmentation index of brachial artery (Aixbr) and aorta (Aixao), central systolic blood pressure (SBPao); carotid ultrasound for detection of plaques and measurement of intima-media thickness (IMT); echocardiography--left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH); ankle-brachial index (ABI); biochemical parameters: C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen (Fb), cholesterol (Col), HDLcol, LDLcol and triglycerides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MetS patients had higher PWVao (10.06 +/- 2.12 m/s vs 8.29 +/- 1.33 m/s, p = 0.0001) and SBPao (135.06 +/- 19.80 mmHg vs. 121.76 +/- 18.62 mmHg, p = 0.009). Carotid IMT was higher in MetS group (0.92 +/- 0.11 vs. 0.83 +/- 0.10 mm, p = 0.003). Almost all MetS patients were hypertensive (94.7% vs. 52%, p = 0.01); LVH was present in 57.9% of MetS patients and 20% of the controls (p = 0.05). The MetS group presented higher Col (208.76 +/- 38.41 vs. 176.20 +/- 30.08 mg/dl, p = 0.0003) and CRP levels (0.872 +/- 0.852 mg/dl vs. 0.476 +/- 0.392 mg/dl, p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In MetS patients the most reliable marker of arterial stiffness was PWVao, followed by SBPao. Higher values of carotid IMT are also parameters of high atherosclerotic risk. CRP and Col can be considered biomarkers of high risk in MetS.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine I, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa, Iasi.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Mitu
authors: Department of Internal Medicine I, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa, Iasi.
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Mitu
authors: Department of Morfofunctional Sciencies, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa, Iasi.
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Dimitriu
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine and Interdisciplinarity, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa, Iasi.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Dimitriu
authors: Rehabilitation Hospital, Department of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa, Iasi.
authors: Magda
authors: M
authors: Mitu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D059289:Vascular Stiffness
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein