Relationship between pulse wave velocity and carotid atherosclerosis in geriatric people.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between the pulse wave velocity (PWV) and angiographic carotid atherosclerosis in elderly patients. METHOD 103 consecutive elderly patients were divided into two groups according to the results of cerebral angiography: carotid atherosclerosis group and normal carotid angiogram group. Basic clinical information was required by a standardized questionnaire. Carotid-femoral PWV (cfPWV) as a marker of Stiffness of artery was measured, Carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and carotid stenosis degree in angiography was evaluated. Independent-sample t test was used to evaluate the difference in cfPWV between the two groups, Bivariate associations between cfPWV and an index of extracoronary atherosclerosis (IMT and severity of stenosis) was performed. RESULT Among 103 subjects, 55 with carotid atherosclerosis and 48 with a normal carotid angiogram, a significant difference between the two groups in IMT and PWV was found (P<0.05), and the cfPWV was significantly correlated with IMT (r = 0.3222, P = 0.0315), but not severity of carotid stenosis (r = 0.1573, P = 0.3137). CONCLUSION cfPWV showed a positive correlation to carotid IMT, and maybe is a potentially useful adjunctive atherosclerotic risk marker to Identify of early carotid atherosclerosis.