Comparing arterial function parameters for the prediction of coronary heart disease events: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Arterial dysfunction has been linked to decline in cardiac function and increased risk of cardiovascular disease events. We calculated the value of arterial function, measured at baseline (2000-2002), in predicting time to first coronary heart disease (CHD) event (median follow-up, 10.2 years) among participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Measures included the following: C₁ and C₂, derived from diastolic pulse contour analysis from the radial artery blood pressure waveform obtained by tonometry (n = 6,336); carotid distensibility and Young's elastic modulus at the carotid artery, derived from carotid artery ultrasonography (n = 6,531 and 6,528); and aortic distensibility, measured using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (n = 3,677). After adjustment, the hazard ratio for a CHD event per standard-deviation increment in arterial function was 0.97 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.86, 1.10) for C1 , 0.73 (95% CI: 0.63, 0.86) for C2 , 0.98 (95% CI: 0.86, 1.11) for carotid distensibility, 0.99 (95% CI: 0.90, 1.09) for Young's modulus, and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.74, 1.10) for aortic distensibility. We examined the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the model with full adjustment plus the addition of each measure individually. C₂ provided additional discrimination for the prediction of CHD (area under the curve = 0.736 vs. 0.743; P = 0.04). Lower C₂ was associated with a higher risk of future CHD events.