Association of Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity With Cardiovascular Events in Atrial Fibrillation.
BACKGROUND
Atrial fibrillation (AF) and increased arterial stiffness share several risk factors and the 2 diseases often coexist. However, the prognostic value of increased arterial stiffness remains uncertain in the AF population. We evaluated whether brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a marker of arterial stiffness, can predict cardiovascular events, and determined that the baPWV is a more favorable prognostic marker compared with conventional clinical and echocardiographic markers in patients with AF.


METHODS
We enrolled 167 patients with persistent AF. Arterial stiffness was assessed using baPWV. Cardiovascular events were defined as cardiovascular death, nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and hospitalization for heart failure. The relative risk of cardiovascular events was analyzed using Cox regression models. An improvement in model prediction was determined using the -2 log likelihood ratio statistic.


RESULTS
During a median 26-month follow-up, 42 (24.9%) cardiovascular events were observed. The baPWV emerged as an independent predictor of cardiovascular events (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.152; 95% confidence interval: 1.054-1.259; P = 0.002) in the multivariate analysis. Furthermore, the addition of baPWV to a Cox model comprising standard clinical, biochemical, and echocardiographic parameters improved the prediction of adverse cardiovascular events (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with AF, a high baPWV is associated with increased cardiovascular events and improve the prediction of adverse cardiovascular events. Hence, baPWV might be included when examining patients with AF for prediction of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.
Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan;
Szu-Chia
SC
Chen
Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Wen-Hsien
WH
Lee
Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Po-Chao
PC
Hsu
Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan;
Ming-Yen
MY
Lin
Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chee-Siong
CS
Lee
Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Tsung-Hsien
TH
Lin
Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Wen-Chol
WC
Voon
Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Wen-Ter
WT
Lai
Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Sheng-Hsiung
SH
Sheu
Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. cobeshm@seed.net.tw.
Ho-Ming
HM
Su
D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*
arterial stiffness; atrial fibrillation; blood pressure; brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity; cardiovascular events; hypertension.