Carotid arterial stiffness as a surrogate for aortic stiffness: Relationship between carotid artery pressure-strain elastic modulus and aortic pulse wave velocity

Yoji Nagai, Jerome L. Fleg, Mary K. Kemper, Tomasz M. Rywik, Christopher J. Earley, E. Jeffrey Metter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

63 Scopus citations

Abstract

Common carotid arterial (CCA) stiffness can be assessed during carotid ultrasonography, but its association with aortic stiffness, a well-defined cardiovascular risk factor, has not been clarified. This study examines the relationship between CCA and aortic stiffness. CCA pressure-strain elastic modulus (Ep) and aortic pulse wave velocity (APWV) were evaluated in 110 healthy volunteers (age 56.2 ± 14.6 y) by B-mode and Doppler ultrasonography. CCA Ep increased linearly with age and was higher in men than in women (model r2 = 0.50, p < 0.001). APWV increased quadratically with age (model r2 = 0.54, p < 0.001), similarly for women and men. Both CCA Ep and APWV were linearly associated with systolic blood pressure (BP) (r = 0.53 and 0.46, respectively) but not with diastolic BP. A linear relationship was found between CCA Ep and APWV (APWV = 194.7 + 5.67 x Ep [model r2 = 0.42, p < 0.001]). CCA Ep was associated with APWV (p < 0.001) independent of age, gender, and BP (model r2 = 0.62, p < 0.001), and the most parsimonious model to explain APWV included CCA Ep and age (APWV = 601.73 - 15.64 x age + 0.223 x age2 + 2.69 x Ep [model r2 = 0.60, p < 0.001]). Thus, CCA Ep is moderately associated with APWV. CCA stiffness as assessed by B-mode may be useful as a surrogate for aortic stiffness.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)181-188
Number of pages8
JournalUltrasound in Medicine and Biology
Volume25
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1999

Keywords

  • Aorta
  • Common carotid artery
  • Stiffness
  • Ultrasonics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiological and Ultrasound Technology
  • Biophysics
  • Acoustics and Ultrasonics

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