Impact of one or more risk factors in vascular arterial stiffness parameters

Purpose: In the last years, great attention has been invested on the role of arterial stiffness in the development of cardiovascular diseases. It has been showed that the traditional risk factors (RF) are associated with an increase of arterial stiffness parameters. No much data are available about these parameters and the association with two or more RF. The aim of our study has been: a) To evaluate, in patients without RF, with one risk factors and with two or more risk factors, the vascular stiffness parameters; b) To assess the usefulness of a new tool (E-tracking by Aloka, Japan) for routinary clinical evaluation of these parameters. Methods: We studied 259 patients, 133 men, 88 patients without RF (mean age 39.5±18.2) and 171 patients with traditional RF (mean age 58.0±13.7). We used an Aloka alfa-10 prosound echo-machine. Measurements have been carried out at the level of common carotid artery before the bifurcation. The following stiffeness parameters have been calculated: Beta (stiffness index); Ep (pressure-strain elasticity modulus); AC (arterial compliance); AI (augmentation index); PWV (pulse wave velocity). The value of blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), evaluated in the left arm, have been included in the system for the evaluation of these parameters. Data were analyzed with SPSS software. For the evaluation of the difference between the mean value of stiffness parameters in different patients sub-groups non parametric test of Kruskal-Wallis has been employed, (p<0.05). Results: Our results showed an increase of all stiffness parameters with the incresing of RF number, except for AC that is reduced.(p<0.001) (Tab.). Conclusions: Our data confirmed: a) The arterial stiffness parameters increase with the number of RF; b) E-tracking, developed by Aloka, is very useful tool for the evaluation of these parameters in clinical setting because is not time consuming, and it could be a very intersting technique for the evaluation of the effects of medical therapy in these patients.