Comprehensive assessment of vascular stiffness in patients with peripheral arterial atherosclerosis

Abstract

Aim: evaluate the indicators of vascular stiffness on the local and regional levels in patients with atherosclerotic peripheral artery disease, and to identify the relationship of estimated parameters with some markers of remodeling of the cardiovascular system. Materials and methods. The study included 87 patients, 47 men and 40 women. They were devoted into two groups depending on the availability of verified atherosclerosis carotid arteries. The first group included 57 people, 33 men and 24 women, mean age 56.8 ± 9.48years. The second group included 30 people with intact carotid arteries, 14 men and 16 women, mean age - 51.9+ 11.9years. Allpatients were examined lipid metabolism, glycated hemoglobin, C-reactive protein. All patients underwent duplex ultrasound scanning of the carotid arteries with measurement of the local carotid stiffness. Regional arterial stiffness was measured using carotid-femoral (cfPWV) and carotid-radial (crPWV)pulse wave velocity. Results. CfPWV was significantly higher in patients with atherosclerosis- 13.2+4.39 m/s and 11.3+3.31 m/s in the first and second groups, respectively (p-0.013). CrPWV was not significantly different between the groups. In patients with carotid atherosclerosis revealed significantly higher values of Peterson’s elastic modulus and stiffness index ß, in the absence of significant differences in the values of the deformation of the carotid artery and the Young’s modulus. Also, there was a significant decline in the carotid distensibility and compliance. Arterial stiffness was associated with ultrasonographic markers of degree of carotid atherosclerosis. Conclusion. Patients with carotid atherosclerosis had a significantly higher cfPWV compared to patients with intact carotid arteries, with no significant between-group differences in crPWV. Patients with carotid atherosclerosis had significantly higher values of such indicators as the local carotid stiffness Peterson ’s elastic modulus, stiffness index ß, distensibility and compliance of the vascularwall.