The stiffness of the aorta can be determined by measuring carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (PWVcf). PWV may also influence the contour of the peripheral pulse, suggesting that contour analysis might be used to assess large artery stiffness. An index of large artery stiffness (SIDVP) derived from the digital volume pulse (DVP) measured by transmission of IR light (photoplethysmography) was examined. SIDVP was obtained from subject height and from the time delay between direct and reflected waves in the DVP. The timing of these components of the DVP is determined by PWV in the aorta and large arteries. SIDVP was, therefore, expected to provide a measure of stiffness similar to PWV. SIDVP was compared with PWVcf obtained by applanation tonometry in 87 asymptomatic subjects (21–68 years; 29 women). The reproducibility of SIDVP and PWVcf and the response of SIDVP to glyceryl trinitrate were assessed in subsets of subjects. The mean within-subject coefficient of variation of SIDVP, for measurements at weekly intervals, was 9.6%. SIDVP was correlated with PWVcf (r = 0.65, P<0.0001). SIDVP and PWVcf were each independently correlated with age and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) with similar regression coefficients: SIDVP = 0.63+0.086×age+0.042×MAP (r = 0.69, P<0.0001); PWVcf = 0.76+0.080×age+0.053×MAP (r = 0.71, P<0.0001). Administration of glyceryl trinitrate (3, 30 and 300 μg/min intravenous; each dose for 15 min) in nine healthy men produced similar changes in SIDVP and PWVcf. Thus contour analysis of the DVP provides a simple, reproducible, non-invasive measure of large artery stiffness.
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Research Article|
August 30 2002
Determination of age-related increases in large artery stiffness by digital pulse contour analysis
S.C. MILLASSEAU;
S.C. MILLASSEAU
1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, St. Thomas' Hospital, Centre for Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, King's College London, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EH, U.K.
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R.P. KELLY;
R.P. KELLY
1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, St. Thomas' Hospital, Centre for Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, King's College London, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EH, U.K.
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J.M. RITTER;
J.M. RITTER
1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, St. Thomas' Hospital, Centre for Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, King's College London, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EH, U.K.
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P.J. CHOWIENCZYK
1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, St. Thomas' Hospital, Centre for Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, King's College London, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EH, U.K.
Correspondence: Dr P.J. Chowienczyk (e-mail [email protected]).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
January 17 2002
Revision Received:
May 03 2002
Accepted:
June 26 2002
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society and the Medical Research Society © 2002
2002
Clin Sci (Lond) (2002) 103 (4): 371–377.
Article history
Received:
January 17 2002
Revision Received:
May 03 2002
Accepted:
June 26 2002
Citation
S.C. MILLASSEAU, R.P. KELLY, J.M. RITTER, P.J. CHOWIENCZYK; Determination of age-related increases in large artery stiffness by digital pulse contour analysis. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 October 2002; 103 (4): 371–377. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/cs1030371
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