Background: Aging exerts a number of significant changes in the cardiovascular system, particularly on the large arteries. Previous studies have suggested that stiffness index increase linearly with age. Objective: The aim of our study was to assess the usefulness of a new tool (e-tracking, Aloka-Japan) for the evaluation of stiffness vascular index, used as a common function in general-purpose ultrasonic diagnostic units. In this system a radio frequency signal is used to provide an high accuracy of 0.01 mm resolution at 10 MHz transmission/reception. Changes in the artery diameters is evaluated by measuring the distance between two tracking gate. Measurements have been carried out at the level of common carotid artery before the bifurcation. The following parmeters have been calculated: Beta (stiffness parameter); Ep (pressure-strain elasticity modulus); AC (arterial compliance); AI (augmetation index); PWV (pulse wave velocity). The value of blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), measured in the left arm, has been included in the system for the evaluation of the parameters. Methods: We studied 60 healthy patients (mean age 34.5±12.9, 29 Men). Data were analyzed with SPSS software. To provide the relationship between age and arterial stiffness, data were grouped according to deciles of age. Results: The results are reported in Table I. All parameters show an agerelated increase, with the exception of AC that is reduced (Figure 1). Conclusions: The results suggest that relevant age-related changes occur in vascular system. Our data are similar to previous results obtained by other invasive or non-invasive tools. E-tracking is a potentially useful, no timeconsuming tool for the clinical diagnostic routinary evaluation of arterial stiffness quantitative parameters. Further research is necessary to validate the role of this technique in larger populations

Normal vascular aging evaluated by a new tool: e-tracking

CARERJ, Scipione;NIPOTE, CARMELO;ZITO, Concetta;DATTILO, GIUSEPPE;ORETO, Giuseppe;ARRIGO, Francesco
2006-01-01

Abstract

Background: Aging exerts a number of significant changes in the cardiovascular system, particularly on the large arteries. Previous studies have suggested that stiffness index increase linearly with age. Objective: The aim of our study was to assess the usefulness of a new tool (e-tracking, Aloka-Japan) for the evaluation of stiffness vascular index, used as a common function in general-purpose ultrasonic diagnostic units. In this system a radio frequency signal is used to provide an high accuracy of 0.01 mm resolution at 10 MHz transmission/reception. Changes in the artery diameters is evaluated by measuring the distance between two tracking gate. Measurements have been carried out at the level of common carotid artery before the bifurcation. The following parmeters have been calculated: Beta (stiffness parameter); Ep (pressure-strain elasticity modulus); AC (arterial compliance); AI (augmetation index); PWV (pulse wave velocity). The value of blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), measured in the left arm, has been included in the system for the evaluation of the parameters. Methods: We studied 60 healthy patients (mean age 34.5±12.9, 29 Men). Data were analyzed with SPSS software. To provide the relationship between age and arterial stiffness, data were grouped according to deciles of age. Results: The results are reported in Table I. All parameters show an agerelated increase, with the exception of AC that is reduced (Figure 1). Conclusions: The results suggest that relevant age-related changes occur in vascular system. Our data are similar to previous results obtained by other invasive or non-invasive tools. E-tracking is a potentially useful, no timeconsuming tool for the clinical diagnostic routinary evaluation of arterial stiffness quantitative parameters. Further research is necessary to validate the role of this technique in larger populations
2006
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11570/2262024
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