Is arterial stiffness (measured by PWV and AIx75) different in patients with decompensated heart failure compared to healthy subjects and those with cardiovascular risk factors?
Arterial stiffness, measured by PWV, is altered in patients with decompensated heart failure compared to healthy individuals and those with cardiovascular risk factors, and correlates strongly with renal function.
The arterial stiffness in the pathogenesis and clinical outcome in heart failure (HF) patients still needs to be clarified. An increased pulse wave velocity (PWV) in HF patients in comparison with healthy subjects and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) patients has been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the arterial stiffness in HF patients in comparison to control populations. METHODS: Consecutive patients admitted for decompensated heart failure underwent echocardiogram and evaluation of arterial stiffness by measuring the PWV and the augmentation index (AIx75). The arterial stiffness was also calculated in a control group formed by healthy volunteers and in CVRF subjects. RESULTS: = 0.01). CONCLUSION: PWV proved to be different in HF patients in comparison with CVRF/healthy population. The strongest correlation was revealed between the values of PWV/AIx75 and renal function.
Feola et al. (Fri,) studied this question.