Key result
Active cancer treatment linked to higher arterial stiffness versus age-matched controls.
Why the study?
Cancer patients face an increased risk of coronary artery disease, with vascular dysfunction first manifesting as arterial stiffness that can be assessed by pulse wave velocity.
Do cancer patients undergoing treatment have increased arterial stiffness assessed by pulse wave velocity compared to age-matched controls?
Case-Control (n=589)
No
Do cancer patients undergoing treatment have increased arterial stiffness assessed by pulse wave velocity compared to age-matched controls?
Pulse wave velocity identifies markedly increased arterial stiffness in cancer patients undergoing treatment, highlighting its potential as a simple, noninvasive tool for early cardiovascular risk assessment in cardio-oncology.
May flag vascular risk in cancer patients; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation before clinical use.
Background: Cancer patients are at increased risk of coronary artery disease. Vascular dysfunction is first reflected as arterial stiffness, which can be assessed by pulse wave velocity (PWV). Aim: This study aims to appraise whether PWV is a clinical indicator of arterial stiffness. Materials and Methods: A case-control observational study was undertaken in a tertiary teaching hospital among 589 participants, including 197 cancer patients undergoing treatment and 392 age-matched controls. Arterial stiffness and hemodynamic parameters were measured noninvasively using the Diabetes Risk Profiler system based on PeriScope ® technology. Statistical analysis included comparison of means, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression. Results: Cancer patients showed significantly higher heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, brachial-ankle PWV, carotid-femoral PWV, aortic pulse pressure, augmentation pressure, and augmentation index than controls, while ankle-brachial index was significantly lower (all P < 0.001). In cancer patients, PWV showed strong positive correlations with age and systolic blood pressure. Conclusion: Cancer patients undergoing treatment have markedly increased arterial stiffness and altered vascular function compared with controls. PWV may be a useful, simple, and noninvasive marker for early cardiovascular risk assessment in cardio-oncology practice.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Reddy et al. (2026) conducted a case-control in Cancer (n=589). Cancer undergoing treatment vs. Age-matched controls was evaluated on Arterial stiffness and hemodynamic parameters (including pulse wave velocity) (p=<0.001). Cancer patients undergoing treatment had significantly higher arterial stiffness, including brachial-ankle and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, compared to age-matched controls (all P < 0.001).
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: