title: Augmentation index and aortic pulse wave velocity in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a severe disease that can prove fatal. Factors such as advanced age, male gender, family history and cigarette use increase the risk of AAA. These factors associated with AAA development also increase arterial stiffness. Aortic pulse-wave velocity (PWV) was measured as an index of aortic stiffness. The heart rate-corrected augmentation index (AIx@75) was estimated as a composite marker of wave reflections and arterial stiffness. Elevated arterial stiffness increases the risk of development of cardiovascular events and impairs cardiovascular functions. In this study we investigated whether arterial stiffness rises in patients with AAA by measuring aortic PWV and AIx@75 parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen patients with AAA (age 69 ± 4 years) and 20 patients with no aneurysm (age 66 ± 6) were included. AAA was diagnosed using computerized tomography. Arterial stiffness was measured non-invasively in all patients using a SphygmoCor device. Aortic PWV and AIx@75 were used as arterial stiffness parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of demographic characteristics. AIx@75 (33.2 ± 8.9 vs 25.1 ± 7.8, p=0.008) and aortic PWV (14.8 ± 4.9 vs 10.0 ± 1.7, p=0.002) were significantly elevated in the AAA group compared to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated AIx@75 and aortic PWV shows that arterial stiffness increases in patients with AAA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ismet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Durmus
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, State Hospital Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kazaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardio-Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gokalp
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Altun
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Karadeniz Technical University Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aysegul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cansu
keywords: Aortic aneurysm; augmentation index; pulse wave velocity