Arterial Elasticity and Cardiac Function: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Vara- Skövde Cohort
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Introduction
Diastolic pulse wave analysis provides non-invasive estimation of arterial elasticity. Their clinical significance on the impairment of cardiac structure and function is not fully understood.
Objective
To examine associations between arterial elasticity assessed by diastolic pulse wave analysis and echocardiographic measures of cardiac structure and function in a community-based cohort.
Methods
A population-based cohort recruited 2816 randomly selected men and women aged 30–75 years between 2002 and 2005. A random subsample (n = 1,035) underwent echocardiography by a single senior cardiologist. Large-artery elasticity (C1) and small-artery elasticity (C2) were assessed by radial artery applanation tonometry. The analytical sample included 991 participants. Associations were examined using multivariable linear and logistic regression with sequential adjustment. The final model included sex, age, heart rate, diabetes mellitus, LDL cholesterol, body mass index, antihypertensive medication use, current smoking, alcohol intake, leisure-time physical activity, and systolic blood pressure.
Results
Among 991 participants, mean age was 51 years, 488 were men, and 160 had left ventricular hypertrophy. Mean C1 was 16.0 ± 5.1 mL/mmHg × 10, mean C2 was 6.9 ± 3.5 mL/mmHg × 100, and mean EF was 73.4 ± 8.5%. Higher C2 was associated with higher EF after systolic blood pressure adjustment (β per 1-SD increase: 1.2; 95% CI: 0.5–1.9; p < 0.001). Higher C1 was associated with lower odds of left ventricular hypertrophy (OR per 1-SD increase: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.44–0.84; p = 0.003).
Conclusions
Higher C2 was associated with better systolic function, whereas higher C1 was associated with lower odds of left ventricular hypertrophy.
Clinical Perspective
What Is New?
This study links non-invasive indices of arterial elasticity derived from diastolic pulse wave analysis to echocardiographic measures of cardiac structure and function in a community-based sample. Small-artery elasticity (C2) was positively associated with left ventricular ejection fraction, whereas large-artery elasticity (C1) was inversely associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, independent of cardiovascular risk factors and systolic blood pressure.
What Are the Clinical Implications?
Diastolic pulse wave analysis may provide clinically relevant insight into ventriculo–arterial interactions and cardiac remodelling. These findings suggest that early vascular assessment using diastolic pulse wave analysis may offer a non-invasive approach to identifying subclinical cardiovascular impairment before overt disease develops.
