Aortic pulse wave velocity and the degree of atherosclerosis in the elderly: a pathological study based on 304 autopsy cases

• Published in: Atherosclerosis Vol. 179; no. 2; pp. 345 - 351
• Main Authors: Sawabe, Motoji, Takahashi, Ryutaro, Matsushita, Satoru, Ozawa, Toshio, Arai, Tomio, Hamamatsu, Akihiko, Nakahara, Ken-ichi, Chida, Kouji, Yamanouchi, Hiroshi, Murayama, Shigeo, Tanaka, Noriko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.04.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Aging - physiology; Aorta; Aorta - physiology; Arteriosclerosis - diagnosis; Arteriosclerosis - physiopathology; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Autopsy; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Pressure; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular system; Compliance; Diseases of the aorta; Elasticity; Elderly; Female; Human; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Predictive Value of Tests; Pulse; Pulse wave velocity; Vascular Resistance; Vasodilator agents. Cerebral vasodilators; Human; Compliance; Atherosclerosis; CSI; Aging; Pulse wave velocity; PAI; Aorta; BAI; Elderly; PWV; Systolic pressure; Senescence; Cardiovascular disease; Artery; Vascular disease; Case study; Autopsy; Blood vessel; Arterial pressure; Blood pressure; Circulatory system; Hemodynamics
• ISSN: 0021-9150; 1879-1484
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2004.09.023

Studies examining the correlation between aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) and atherosclerosis have reported conflicting results. The present paper verifies this correlation by conducting autopsy examination of elderly subjects. A total of 3456 PWV examinations had been performed on 1538 elderly people, as a part of routine physical check-up. During long-term follow-up, many of these subjects died, and autopsy study could be conducted on 304 of these subjects. The average age at death of the subjects was 83 years and the male: female ratio was 6:5. The pathological atherosclerotic index (PAI) was defined as the average pathological degree of atherosclerosis in eight large arteries, including aorta. Significant positive correlations were observed between the age and PWV ( γ = 0.273, P < 0.001), and between the systolic blood pressure and PWV ( γ = 0.478, P < 0.001). There was a significantly positive correlation between the aortic atherosclerotic degree and mean PWV ( ρ = 0.239, P < 0.005), and between the PAI and mean PWV ( γ = 0.323, P < 0.001). The partial regression coefficient between the PAI and mean PWV was 0.209, after adjusting for the mean systolic blood pressure and age at death. The present study proved a weak correlation between the PWV and the pathologically verified degree of the aortic and systemic atherosclerosis.