Carotid arterial stiffness as a surrogate for aortic stiffness: relationship between carotid artery pressure–strain elastic modulus and aortic pulse wave velocity

Abstract

Common carotid arterial (CCA) stiffness can be assessed during carotid ultrasonography, but its association with aortic stiffness, a well-defined cardiovascular risk factor, has not been clarified. This study examines the relationship between CCA and aortic stiffness. CCA pressure–strain elastic modulus (Ep) and aortic pulse wave velocity (APWV) were evaluated in 110 healthy volunteers (age 56.2 ± 14.6 y) by B-mode and Doppler ultrasonography. CCA Ep increased linearly with age and was higher in men than in women (model r 2 = 0.50, p < 0.001). APWV increased quadratically with age (model r 2 = 0.54, p < 0.001), similarly for women and men. Both CCA Ep and APWV were linearly associated with systolic blood pressure (BP) ( r = 0.53 and 0.46, respectively) but not with diastolic BP. A linear relationship was found between CCA Ep and APWV (APWV = 194.7 + 5.67 × Ep [model r 2 = 0.42, p < 0.001]). CCA Ep was associated with APWV ( p < 0.001) independent of age, gender, and BP (model r 2 = 0.62, p < 0.001), and the most parsimonious model to explain APWV included CCA Ep and age (APWV = 601.73 − 15.64 × age + 0.223 × age 2 + 2.69 × Ep [model r 2 = 0.60, p < 0.001]). Thus, CCA Ep is moderately associated with APWV. CCA stiffness as assessed by B-mode may be useful as a surrogate for aortic stiffness.