title: A Novel Echocardiographic Method for Assessing Arterial Stiffness in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with increased arterial stiffness and cardiovascular complications. The objective of this study was to assess whether the color M-mode-derived propagation velocity of the descending thoracic aorta (aortic velocity propagation, AVP) was an echocardiographic marker for arterial stiffness in OSAS.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included 116 patients with OSAS and 90 age and gender-matched control subjects. The patients with OSAS were categorized according to their apnea hypopnea index (AHI) as follows: mild to moderate degree (AHI 5-30) and severe degree (AHI≥30). Aortofemoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), and AVP were measured to assess arterial stiffness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AVP and FMD were significantly decreased in patients with OSAS compared to controls (p<0.001). PWV and CIMT were increased in the OSAS group compared to controls (p<0.001). Moreover, AVP and FMD were significantly decreased in the severe OSAS group compared to the mild to moderate OSAS group (p<0.001). PWV and CIMT were significantly increased in the severe group compared to the mild to moderate group (p<0.001). AVP was significantly positively correlated with FMD (r=0.564, p<0.001). However, it was found to be significantly inversely related to PWV (r=-0.580, p<0.001) and CIMT (r=-0.251, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The measurement of AVP is a novel and practical echocardiographic method, which may be used to identify arterial stiffness in OSAS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Yuzuncu Yil University Medical Faculty, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akdag
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Yuzuncu Yil University Medical Faculty, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aytac
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akyol
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Rize Kackar Government Hospital, Rize, Turkey.
authors.forename: Huseyin Altug
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Cakmak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseas, Yuzuncu Yil University Medical Faculty, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hulya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gunbatar
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Yuzuncu Yil University Medical Faculty, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muntecep
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asker
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Yuzuncu Yil University Medical Faculty, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Naci
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Babat
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Mehmet Akif Ersoy Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Education and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aydin Rodi
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Tosu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Samsun Education and Training Hospital, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Yuzuncu Yil University Medical Faculty, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan Ali
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Gumrukcuoglu
keywords: Aortic velocity propagation; Echocardiography; Obstructive sleep apnea; Pulse wave analysis; Vascular stiffness