MR pulse wave velocity increases with age faster in the thoracic aorta than in the abdominal aorta. Issue 3 (24th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Devos, Daniel G.H.; Rietzschel, Ernst; Heyse, Catherine; Vandemaele, Pieter; Van Bortel, Luc; Babin, Danilo; Segers, Patrick; Westenberg, Jos M.; Achten, Rik
• Is Part Of: Journal of magnetic resonance imaging. Volume 41:Issue 3(2015)
• Page Start: 765
• Page End: 772
• Publication Date: 2014-02-24
• Subjects: Magnetic resonance imaging -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1002/jmri.24592
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1053-1807

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jmri24592-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Purpose</title> <p>To assess the difference between thoracic and abdominal aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) in apparently healthy subjects including young adults to elderly subjects.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmri24592-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Materials and Methods</title> <p>We performed PWV and distensibility measurements and analysis of thoracic and abdominal aortic segments in 96 apparently normal subjects aged 20–80 years with magnetic resonance (MR). Both unadjusted correlation and General Linear Model (GLM) analysis of log‐transformed PWV (thoracic and abdominal aorta) and distensibility (four aortic cross‐sections) were performed.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmri24592-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Both thoracic and abdominal PWV values and distensibility values increased with age. In unadjusted analyses the correlation between the ln(thoracic PWV) and age (<italic>r</italic> = 0.71; <italic>P</italic> < 0.001) was stronger than between ln(abdominal PWV) and age (<italic>r</italic> = 0.50; <italic>P</italic> < 0.001). In GLM analysis, the only determinant of thoracic and abdominal PWV was age (F = 42.5 and F = 14.8, respectively; both <italic>P</italic> < 0.001). Similarly, correlation between ln(distensibility) and age was strong (<italic>r</italic> = −0.79, <italic>r</italic> = −0.67, <italic>r</italic> = −0.71, and <italic>r</italic> = −0.65 for ascending, descending, diaphragmatic, and low abdominal aorta, respectively; all <italic>P</italic> < 0.001). In GLM analysis, age was the major determinant for distensibility of the ascending aorta (F = 81.7; <italic>P</italic> < 0.001), descending aorta (F = 42.2; <italic>P</italic> < 0.001), diaphragmatic aorta (F = 39.2; <italic>P</italic> < 0.001), and low abdominal aorta (F = 32.8; <italic>P</italic> < 0.001).</p> </sec> <sec id="jmri24592-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>The thoracic aorta is less stiff than the abdominal aorta in young and middle‐aged subjects, and stiffens more rapidly with age than the abdominal aorta, resulting in a stiffer thoracic than abdominal aorta at older age. <bold>J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;41:765–772.</bold> © <bold>2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</bold></p> </sec> </abstract>