title: MR pulse wave velocity increases with age faster in the thoracic aorta than in the abdominal aorta.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the difference between thoracic and abdominal aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) in apparently healthy subjects including young adults to elderly subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed PWV and distensibility measurements and analysis of thoracic and abdominal aortic segments in 96 apparently normal subjects aged 20-80 years with magnetic resonance (MR). Both unadjusted correlation and General Linear Model (GLM) analysis of log-transformed PWV (thoracic and abdominal aorta) and distensibility (four aortic cross-sections) were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both thoracic and abdominal PWV values and distensibility values increased with age. In unadjusted analyses the correlation between the ln(thoracic PWV) and age (r = 0.71; P < 0.001) was stronger than between ln(abdominal PWV) and age (r = 0.50; P < 0.001). In GLM analysis, the only determinant of thoracic and abdominal PWV was age (F = 42.5 and F = 14.8, respectively; both P < 0.001). Similarly, correlation between ln(distensibility) and age was strong (r = -0.79, r = -0.67, r = -0.71, and r = -0.65 for ascending, descending, diaphragmatic, and low abdominal aorta, respectively; all P < 0.001). In GLM analysis, age was the major determinant for distensibility of the ascending aorta (F = 81.7; P < 0.001), descending aorta (F = 42.2; P < 0.001), diaphragmatic aorta (F = 39.2; P < 0.001), and low abdominal aorta (F = 32.8; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The thoracic aorta is less stiff than the abdominal aorta in young and middle-aged subjects, and stiffens more rapidly with age than the abdominal aorta, resulting in a stiffer thoracic than abdominal aorta at older age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, MRI (-1K12), University Hospital Ghent, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000, Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Daniel G H
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Devos
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rietzschel
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heyse
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vandemaele
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Bortel
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Babin
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Segers
authors.forename: Jos M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Westenberg
authors.forename: Rik
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Achten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000503:physiopathology; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: abdominal aorta; aging; arterial stiffness; pulse wave velocity; thoracic aorta