title: Relationship between global pulse wave velocity and diastolic dysfunction in postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Global aortic pulse wave velocity (PWVg) is a simple, accurate, and noninvasive method to determine large artery stiffness. The goal of our study was to investigate the relationship between PWVg, LV mass, and diastolic function in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We screened 321 consecutive women with echocardiographic examination to determine PWVg. LV diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) and LV hypertrophy (LVH) were diagnosed according to ASE (American Society Echocardiography) Guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the 321 women studied was 59.9 years of age with 20 percent of the women menstruate and 80 percent post-menopausal. Amongst the post-menopausal women, 168 patients had LVDD (66.7%), 127 had mild diastolic dysfunction, 40 had moderate diastolic dysfunction, and 1had severe diastolic dysfunction. In these post-menopausal patients with diastolic dysfunction, 89.3% had an increased PWVg while 10.7% had a normal PWVg which was highly statistically significant (p < 0.001). The patients with a normal PWVg all had mild diastolic dysfunction. Increased left atrial volume indexed for body surface area was present in only 19 women, 12 of whom had LVDD and 14 increased PWVg, but statistical analysis was not performed due to the low number of women affected. There was no statistically significant difference in age between postmenopausal women with and without increased PWVg.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our population of postmenopausal women, we observed a strong relationship between LVDD and LVH with PWVg. Our study supports the usefulness of assessment of aortic stiffness as a marker of cardiovascular disease.
authors: ASL BR, District Cardiology Brindisi Italy.
authors: Pasquale
authors: P
authors: Palmiero
authors: ASL BR, District Cardiology Brindisi Italy.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Maiello
authors: Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, South Carolina USA.
authors: David D
authors: DD
authors: Daly
authors: Cardiovascular Disease Section, Department of Emergency and Organ Tranplantation, University of Bari Italy.
authors: Annapaola
authors: A
authors: Zito
authors: Cardiovascular Disease Section, Department of Emergency and Organ Tranplantation, University of Bari Italy.
authors: Marco Matteo
authors: MM
authors: Ciccone
authors: Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama USA.
authors: Navin C
authors: NC
authors: Nanda
keywords: Aortic stiffness; global pulse wave velocity; left ventricular dysfunction; left ventricular mass; postmenopausal women; pulse wave velocity