title: Arterial stiffness and cardiac functions in patients with chronic venous disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although the venous system is in direct continuity with the heart and the arterial system, it is not known whether chronic venous disease (CVD) has any impact on either of these. The aims of this study were to investigate the global functions of the left and right heart, and also arterial stiffness parameters in patients with CVD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight patients with primary stage C4-C6 CVD were enrolled into the study. The control group consisted of 39 age/sex and Body Mass Index matched healthy volunteers. All of the patients underwent detailed echocardiographic examination with further focus on Doppler and tissue Doppler (TD) parameters of the left and right ventricle. Arterial stiffness was evaluated via applanation tonometry in each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The left atrial area (LAA) and interventricular septum thickness were slightly increased in patients with CVD. Regarding Doppler and tissue Doppler measurements of the LV, all of the parameters were similar among the groups, while RV tissue Doppler systolic velocity and TAPSE were higher in patients with CVD. Among the arterial stiffness parameters, central aortic pressure, augmentation index, and pulse wave velocity were slightly higher in patients with CVD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicated that CVD may be associated with a subclinical disease state in the arterial system and also in the heart. Further studies are needed to confirm this association and to describe the possible mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Dokuz Eylul University, School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey - ebru.ozpelit@gmail.com.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozpelit
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ozpelit
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Albayrak
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karabay
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nesli Sahin
authors.forename: J Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Gonencer
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Badak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*