Artery Research

Background: Arterial stiffness is blood pressure (BP) dependent. Using 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (24hABPM) pulse pressure (PP) can be split into an ‘elastic’ part (elPP: ‘diastolic stiffness’), and a ‘stiffening’ part (stPP: ‘stiffness change during systole’). We investigated associations of elPP,...

Objective: This study investigated the accuracy of two oscillometric devices for measuring brachial and central blood pressures (BP) in children and adolescents, using high fidelity intra-arterial measurements as a gold-standard reference. Methods: 57 children and adolescents aged 9.5 ± 4.6 years (mean...

Objective: Treatment with beta-blockers is characterised by inferior reduction of central versus peripheral blood pressure. We examined changes in central and peripheral blood pressure, cardiac function, and vascular resistance during beta-blockade. Methods: Haemodynamics were investigated after 3 weeks...

Objective: Evidence suggests the superiority of office aortic pressure over brachial on the evaluation of vascular damage and prognosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD); 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is regarded the optimal method for assessing blood pressure (BP) profile. The non-invasive...

Aortic stiffness is strongly related to age and mean arterial pressure (MAP). We investigated whether antihypertensive treatment modulates the association of the aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) with age and with MAP in the general population. In the Czech post-MONICA, we measured the PWV in 735 subjects...

Background: Aortic root dilation is an established risk factor for aortic dissection. Despite the relations between aortic root remodeling, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and aortic blood pressure have been advocated by several clinical studies and is supported by physical law, invasive...

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with premature atherosclerosis and arterial stiffening by an accumulation of advanced glycation end-products in vessel wall (1). Green tea polyphenols are considered a cardioprotective substance and may be used as an adjuvant for diabetes treatment,...

Introduction: Drugs targeting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) signaling pathway are approved therapies for cancer. Unfortunately, VEGF inhibitors lead to hypertension in 30-80% patients. Reduced nitric oxide synthase activity and increased vascular resistance have been proposed as potential...

This paper is based on a talk given at the Arterial Hemodynamics: Past, Present and Future symposium in June 2016. Like the talk it is divided into three different but related parts. Part 1 describes the calculation of reservoir and excess pressure from clinical pressure waveforms measured at 5 different...

To investigate the dynamic relationships among Heart Rate (HR) and systemic hemodynamics in everyday life, we performed 24-h ambulatory pulse wave analyses (Mobil-O-Graph) in individuals with normal and elevated BP (n = 116) and in a double-blinded cross-over study where HR was varied pharmacologically...

Background: Exercise training-induced adaptation of central Blood Pressure (BP) depends on exercise mode. Kendo, a traditional Japanese martial art, is a unique exercise mode because its training encompasses anaerobic and resistance training components. However, the effects of habitual kendo training...

Background: Resistant Hypertension (RH) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and poor prognosis. Exercise training studies in RH patients have shown promising outcomes, nonetheless, none determine the impact of exercise on endothelial damage and repair. Circulating endothelial...

Intraaortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) is a method of temporary mechanical circulatory support in patients suffering from cardiogenic shock to improves the balance of myocardial oxygen supply and demand by using systolic unloading and diastolic augmentation. Arteriograph is an invasively validated...

Background: Vascular research demonstrated that pulse wave velocity (PWV), a measure of arterial stiffness, is inherently blood pressure-dependent. Considering the hypothesised pathophysiological chain of increased arterial stiffness leading to increased blood pressure load with consequent left ventricle...

Background: Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is common in the elderly and is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and leads to functional decline. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible relation between aortic stiffness, AS and frailty in older patients undergoing Transcatheter Aortic...

We examined the ability of a simple reduced model comprising a proximal characteristic impedance linked to a Windkessel element to accurately predict central Pulse Pressure (PP) from aortic blood flow, verified that parameters of the model corresponded to physical properties, and applied the model to...

Objective: Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors reduce blood pressure and renal and cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes through not fully elucidated mechanisms. Aim of this study was to investigate whether dapagliflozin is able to acutely modify systemic and renal vascular function. Methods:...

Chronic activation of the proinflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor kappa-B (NFkB) is linked to age-associated vascular dysfunction. Acute inhibition of NFkB with high-dose salsalate (>4g), a non-acetylated salicylate known to block NFkB activation, improves aortic stiffness and endothelial...

Background: We explored the relationship between QRS characteristics and myocardial phenotype by delayed-enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (DE-CMR) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods and results: Eighty five consecutive patients with CHD that were referred for DE-CMR evaluation...

Objective: To evaluate the determinants of the peripherial wave reflection measured by the second derivative of the fingertip photoplethysmogram (SDPTG) among known cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in a large treated hypertensive population. Population and Methods: We studied prospectively 316 hypertensive...

Purpose/Background/Objectives: We investigated the acute effect of electronic cigarette (EC) smoking on the aortic pressure waveform amplification. We also sought to compare the effect of EC and combustible cigarette (TC) smoking on central haemodynamics. Methods: We studied 24 smokers (age: 30±8 years)...

Aim: Evaluate whether exposure to chronic stress is associated with early vascular aging in hypertensive patients and possible gender differences in this relationship. Methods: Patients where recruited in a Hypertension outpatient clinic during a visit for the evaluation of subclinical organ damage....

Background: Androgens act directly on the vasculature through your connection to the androgen receptor in the vascular wall, and can promote changes in structural and functional vascular properties. Objective: To evaluate the structural and functional properties of large arteries in TF in prolonged...

Background: Non-pharmacological management of hypertension includes regular exercises. Yoga has been pointed as effective on treatment of hypertension. Its many aspects like yoga poses (asanas), respiratory control (pranayamas), meditation and others have not yet been assessed separately to understant...

Background: The aim of our study was to determine whether the use of food supplement L-arginine improves vascular function, which could be beneficial in preventing the formation and development of cardiovascular diseases. We investigated differences between trained and sedentary subjects. Method: Measurements...

Background: Arterial stiffness as measured by PWV along the aorta is an important determinant of cardiovascular risk. PWV is known to be dependent on contemporaneous blood pressure (BP) but its dependence on long-term BP has not been established. Methods: Subjects from Twins UK who had tonometric measures...

Background: Hypertension or pre-hypertension in young adults is unusual and more often linked with an adverse family or pregnancy history, such as preterm birth, than hypertension which develops later in life1–4. Surprisingly, no trials have investigated whether lifestyle advice developed for blood pressure...

An easier approach of teaching the three dimensional nature of arteries of the brainstem is being proposed and aids the understanding of clinical vascular conditions of the brain. Various regions of a standing student appear to represent different parts of the brainstem: head (midbrain), trunk (pons),...

Background: Inter-arm differences in brachial systolic Blood Pressure (BP) are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. It is unclear whether anatomical factors contribute to brachial Interarm Blood Pressure (IABP) differences or whether brachial IABP differences translate to differences in derived...

Background: Oscillometric mean arterial pressure (MAP) agrees closely with invasive MAP, [1] but most devices do not report MAP and it is usually estimated by a form factor (FF). However, blood pressure (BP) measurement errors will affect FF, its correlations with exposures, and introduce errors into...

Objective: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is common cardiovascular problem affecting older adults, and is associated with falls, stroke and chronic kidney disease (CKD). This postural drop (PD) in blood pressure (BP) has been independently associated with increased aortic stiffness in older adults. Aortic...

Objectives: Since genetic factor determines part of hypertensive phenotype, we aim to demonstrate the role of transplanted kidney from normotensive living donors in post-transplant hypertension (HTN). Methods: From 1.5-year-medical record review yielded 103 kidney transplant recipients in whom living-donor...

Background: Although Aerobic Exercise (AE) has been recognized for lowering Blood Pressure (BP), little is known about the alterations in aortic BP after exercise (1,2). PURPOSE: To investigate the acute pulse wave reflection responses induced by AE with different volumes in normotensive and hypertensive...

Objectives: Mortality rate in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are still at a high level. Sarafidis et al. showed the predictive value of 48h PWV in patients undergoing hemodialysis [1], although recent studies using office measurement showed controversial predictive results. Aim of the present study was...

Objective: Overweight and obesity are known risk factors of hypertension in both donors and recipients after kidney donation and transplantation, respectively. We aim to study the correlation between blood pressure (BP) and body mass index (BMI) in donor post-donation and in recipients post-transplantation. Methods:...

Rationale and Aim: Essential hypertension is characterized by extensive alterations of arterial geometry and mechanical properties: increased stiffness, dilation and wall of large arteries, increased thickness in muscular arteries, small artery remodeling. This study is aimed at exploring function and...

Background: Masked hypertension (MH) is prevalent in young adults and is associated with similar vascular complications as sustained hypertension, but whether this is already evident in young adults is unclear. We therefore compared retinal vessel calibres and function in response to flicker light induced...

Objectives: Vascular aging results from endothelial dysfunction and increased arterial stiffness, a independent determinant of cardiovascular (CV) events, that is amplified by the presence and progression of arterial hypertension (AH). Age related changes in hemodynamic variables1 may predict negative...

Purpose/ Background/ Objectives: We have shown that aortic stiffness improves as early as 3 months post-kidney transplantation (KTx). Aortic stiffness index β0, a blood pressure independent parameter, has been proposed to be a better indicator of vascular wall property. This study was designed to examine...

Changes in central hemodynamics and arterial stiffness are associated with augmented cardiovascular risks and have been reported in obese adults with metabolic syndrome. It is unclear whether this observation may also be present in young healthy obese adults with normal metabolic profile. Objectives:...

Background and Aims: Arterial volume compliance is a major determinant of cardiac afterload. More than 50% of the arterial volume compliance resides in the proximal aorta. Researchers often use area compliance for the estimation of volume compliance, assuming an invariant vessel length over pressure...

Vascular calcification (VC) is linked to post-transplant cardiovascular events in the long term. We aimed to evaluate whether pretransplant chest X-ray based aortic arch calcification (AoAC) or pulse wave velocity measurement can better predict post- transplant cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events,...

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) experience premature aging. Arterial stiffness increases with advancing biological age and predicts cardiovascular disease. However, only limited studies investigated arterial function in individuals with DS. Thus, the impact of DS on vascular function still remains...

Introduction: Ascending aorta aneurysm and dissection are the most common cardiovascular complications affecting Marfan syndrome patients (MFS). Recent large increase in life expectancy of MFS driven the growing prevalence of descending aorta (DAo) dilation and dissection. Despite local abnormal vortices...

Background: Increase in central blood pressure is more predictive of future cardiovascular disease than increased brachial blood pressure. Arterial stiffness causes an early return of the reflected pressure wave to the aorta, with subsequently augmented central systolic pressure. It has been reported...

Introduction: The Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI) was established as a parameter of atherosclerosis that does not depend on a subject’s blood pressure, and is now used in many centers. However, it remains unclear whether the CAVI can predict the development and outcome of cardiovascular disease. Methods:...

Background: Vascular calcification is frequently found in hemodialysis patients. Fetuin-A is a well-characterized circulating inhibitor of calcification. Several other bone-associated proteins, such as the matrix Gla protein (MGP), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and osteopontin (OPN), are also presumed to inhibit...

Background: Acute systemic inflammation or infection transiently increases risk of cardiovascular events, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Although observational studies suggest that inflammation is positively associated with arterial stiffness and blood pressure, the causal relationship...

Background: The cold pressor test (CPT) has been used to detect vasospastic angina, but its sensitivity for predicting vasospasm is low. The aim of this study was to determine if the estimation of coronary flow reserve capacity in the left anterior descending coronary artery using transthoracic Doppler...

Objective: To investigate if invasively measured aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) is accurately estimated by non-invasive methods purporting to assess it. Methods: One-hundred and two patients (30% female, age 65 ± 13 years) planned to undertake coronary angiography were evaluated with the following...

Background: Arterial stiffness (AS) is a highly prognostic risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and eGFR in patients under the risk of cardiovascular disease. Methods: This was a retrospective study...

Introduction: Peak prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) is approaching 60 years of age, suggesting an aging patient population compared to past reports. Aging is independently associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. Additionally, arterial function is compromised with aging. Carotid artery...

Background: Central pulse pressure (PP) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular outcomes. However, a Doppler echocardiographic parameter reflecting central PP and arterial stiffness is not known yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) flow deceleration...

Objective: The aims of this study in children were to 1) evaluate two brachial oscillometric devices for estimating central augmentation index (AIx) and reflection magnitude (RM), and 2) test whether AIx or RM are associated with left ventricular mass index (LVMI). Methods: Intra-aortic (IA) AIx was...

Objectives: To determine the association between PAD and DAC in patients treated by haemodialysis in the waiting list for renal transplantation and to assert the influence of that association on prognosis and clinical management. Methods: 1246 renal transplant candidates underwent coronary angiography....

Objectives: Left ventricular contraction produces longitudinal strain in the proximal aorta. As a result, aortic stiffening may impair optimal mechanical ventricular-vascular coupling and left ventricular (LV) systolic function, particularly in the long axis. LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) has recently...

Background: Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) is a measure of arterial stiffness which predicts cardiovascular risk independently of blood pressure. Local PWV can be measured non-invasively in the ascending aorta of adults by means of Ultrasound (US), using successive recordings of Diameter (D) and the velocity...

Background: Arterial stiffness is known marker of poor cardiovascular prognosis. The aim if the study was to assess the incidence of valve calcification (VC) in patients with end- stage renal disease (ESRD) and its associations with clinical parameters of arterial stiffness. Methods: In 68 adults with...

Background: Aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) has been found to be increased in preeclampsia when compared to normal pregnancy. Preeclampsia is associated with increased risk of later cardiovascular disease and, as such, study of the aortic stiffness in pregnancy, and its hypertensive disorders, is important...

Background: Cilostazol is a potent antiplatelet agent that selectively inhibits phosphodiesterase III, and also it has beneficial effect to peripheral arterial disease, like intermittent claudication, by direct vasodilative action. But the effect of cilostazol on arterial stiffness is unclear. We investigated...

Background: Korean Panax Red Ginseng (KPRG) is known to enhance endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation by activating eNOS. Activation of Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) is implicated in endothelial dysfunction in part through destabilization of eNOS mRNA. This study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled,...

Background: Carotid flow peak velocity is increased in carotid artery stenosis. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) have been associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. We performed this study to evaluate the relationship between carotid flow velocity and carotid IMT in ischemic stroke without...