title: Measurement of carotid pulse wave velocity using ultrafast ultrasound imaging in hypertensive patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to assess the utility of ultrafast ultrasound imaging for evaluation of carotid pulse wave velocity (PWV) in newly diagnosed hypertension patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective non-randomized study enrolled 90 hypertensive patients in our hospital from September to December 2013 as a hypertension group. An age- and sex-matched cohort of 50 healthy adults in our hospital from September to December 2013 was also included in the study as a control group. Carotid PWV at the beginning and at the end of systole (PWV-BS and PWV-ES, respectively) and intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured by ultrafast ultrasound imaging technology. The associations of PWV-BS, PWV-ES, and IMT with hypertension stage were evaluated by Spearman correlation analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PWV-BS and PWV-ES in the hypertension group were significantly elevated compared with those in control group. Different hypertension stages significantly differed in PWV-BS and PWV-ES. PWV-BS and PWV-ES appeared to increase with the hypertension stage. Moreover, IMT, PWV-BS, and PWV-ES were positively correlated with the hypertension stage in hypertensive patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrafast ultrasound imaging was a valid and convenient method for the measurement of carotid PWV in hypertensive patients. Ultrafast ultrasound imaging might be recommended as a promising alternative method for early detection of arterial abnormality in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 157, W. Fifth Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 157, W. Fifth Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Jue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 157, W. Fifth Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 157, W. Fifth Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 157, W. Fifth Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Donggang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 157, W. Fifth Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, 710004, China. zhouqishdh@163.com.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 157, W. Fifth Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Ya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 157, W. Fifth Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 157, W. Fifth Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Yanhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Carotid artery elasticity; Carotid pulse wave velocity; Essential hypertension; Ultrafast ultrasound imaging