Introduction: Large artery stiffness is recognized as a strong, independent marker of cardiovascular risk, mainly through aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV). Arteriograph is a new non-invasive oscillometric method, which estimates aortic PWV through brachial pressure wave analysis. In a previous study, Trachet et al. (Annals of Biomedical Engineering 2010) have shown, using a numerical model of arterial tree, that Arteriograph measured a brachial stiffness instead of aortic stiffness.

Aim: To compare PWV with Arteriograph (Ar PWV) to carotid-femoral PWV (CF PWV), carotid-radial PWV (CR PWV) and carotid-humeral PWV (CH PWV). And to compare Ar PWV to carotid stiffness (CS) and humeral stiffness (HS).

Methods: CF, CH, and CR PWV were assessed by applanation tonometry (SphygmoCor®). Ar PWV was assessed by Arteriograph and CS, HS were assessed by echotracking system (Mylab®). Pearson’s correlation coefficient, r, between the methods was calculated.

Results: 43 subjects were included: 20 healthy subjects and 23 patients with essential hypertension. The correlation between CF PWV and Ar PWV is good and significant in healthy subjects and all subjects (r=0.77 and r=0.76 respectively p<0.001), and weak but not significant in hypertensive subjects. The same with CS in all subjects only (r=0.72, p<0.001) There are no significant correlation between Ar PWV and CH PWV, CR PWV, HS.

Conclusion: Arteriograph is well correlated with CF PWV and CS in all subjects but not with brachial stiffness. Nevertheless, it is necessary to include more subjects in this study to see if the correlation is as well in healthy subjects and hypertensive patients.