title: Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) correlates with aortic stiffness in the thoracic aorta using ECG-gated multi-detector row computed tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is an arterial stiffness index based on the stiffness parameter β, which is essentially independent of blood pressure. The objective of this study was to determine whether CAVI correlates with the regional stiffness parameter β and pulse wave velocity (PWV) in the thoracic aorta calculated from ECG-gated multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine patients who underwent coronary MDCT for suspicious coronary artery disease were recruited. The largest and smallest vessel luminal cross-sectional areas of the thoracic aorta were measured from MDCT images to calculate PWV and stiffness parameter β of the ascending and descending aorta. CAVI was also measured by VaSera VS-1000. In univariate analysis, CAVI significantly correlated with regional stiffness parameter β and PWV, which was influenced by the inevitable part of the aging process in the ascending (r = 0.485, P < 0.001; r = 0.483, P < 0.001) and descending aortas (r = 0.304, P = 0.034; r = 0.327, P = 0.022), respectively. The regional stiffness parameter β did not correlate with systolic blood pressure (SBP), although the PWV correlated with SBP. In multivariate analysis, CAVI independently correlated with the stiffness parameter β, but not with the PWV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that CAVI, which correlated with stiffness parameter β in the thoracic aorta, has a potential role in evaluating integrated arterial stiffness including that of the central aorta.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan. Electronic address: horinaka@dokkyomed.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shigeo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horinaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Kimihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromitchi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshimasa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishimitsu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D059289:Vascular Stiffness
keywords: Aortic stiffness; Cardio-ankle vascular index; ECG-gated multi-detector computed tomography; Pulse wave velocity