Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis, Vol 14, 386-394, Copyright © 1994 by American Heart Association

ARTICLES

Relation of aortic stiffness to factors modifying the risk of atherosclerosis in healthy people

M Kupari, P Hekali, P Keto, VP Poutanen, MJ Tikkanen and CG Standerstkjold- Nordenstam
Division of Cardiology (First Department of Medicine), Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.

To identify factors predicting aortic stiffness, we studied the modulus of elasticity of the thoracic aorta in relation to sex, obesity, blood pressure, physical activity, smoking, ethanol consumption, salt intake, and serum lipid and insulin levels in 55 healthy people born in 1954. A transverse cine magnetic resonance image of the thoracic aorta was made, and the modulus of elasticity was determined as brachial artery cuff pulse pressure/aortic strain, where strain was determined as the ratio of pulsatile aortic luminal area change to the diastolic luminal area. The average of measurements made in the ascending and descending aorta was used as the elastic modulus of the thoracic aorta. Habitual physical activity, smoking, and alcohol use were quantified by 2-month prospective daily recording and salt intake by 7-day food records. The aortic elastic modulus ranged from 100 to 2091 10(3) dyne/cm2 (median, 390 10(3) dyne/cm2). In multiple regression analyses, log10 aortic elastic modulus was related directly to mean blood pressure (standardized coefficient [beta] = .37, P = .002), serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (beta = .36, P = .012), square root of daily energy expenditure in physical activity (beta = .33, P = .005), and log10 serum insulin (beta = .27, P = .047) and inversely to serum low- density lipoprotein cholesterol (beta = -.26, P = .035). A relation to salt intake was also observed, but the regression slope was dependent on mean blood pressure (P = .005 for interaction). These data suggest that many modifiable constitutional and lifestyle characteristics may contribute to the stiffness of the thoracic aorta.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. J. Blaha, M. J. Budoff, J. J. Rivera, R. Katz, D. H. O'Leary, J. F. Polak, J. Takasu, R. S. Blumenthal, and K. Nasir Relationship of Carotid Distensibility and Thoracic Aorta Calcification: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Hypertension, December 1, 2009; 54(6): 1408 - 1415. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. S. Heffernan, S. Y. Jae, K. R. Wilund, J. A. Woods, and B. Fernhall Racial differences in central blood pressure and vascular function in young men Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, December 1, 2008; 295(6): H2380 - H2387. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Sutton-Tyrrell, S. S. Najjar, R. M. Boudreau, L. Venkitachalam, V. Kupelian, E. M. Simonsick, R. Havlik, E. G. Lakatta, H. Spurgeon, S. Kritchevsky, et al. Elevated Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity, a Marker of Arterial Stiffness, Predicts Cardiovascular Events in Well-Functioning Older Adults Circulation, June 28, 2005; 111(25): 3384 - 3390. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. M. Dart, C. D. Gatzka, J. D. Cameron, B. A. Kingwell, Y.-L. Liang, K. L. Berry, C. M. Reid, and G. L. Jennings Large Artery Stiffness Is Not Related to Plasma Cholesterol in Older Subjects with Hypertension Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, May 1, 2004; 24(5): 962 - 968. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. R. Greenfield, K. Samaras, L. V. Campbell, A. B. Jenkins, P. J. Kelly, T. D. Spector, and C. S. Hayward Physical activity reduces genetic susceptibility to increased central systolic pressure augmentation: a study of female twins J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., July 16, 2003; 42(2): 264 - 270. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Westerbacka, A. Seppala-Lindroos, and H. Yki-Jarvinen Resistance to Acute Insulin Induced Decreases in Large Artery Stiffness Accompanies the Insulin Resistance Syndrome J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2001; 86(11): 5262 - 5268. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Sutton-Tyrrell, A. Newman, E. M. Simonsick, R. Havlik, M. Pahor, E. Lakatta, H. Spurgeon, and P. Vaitkevicius Aortic Stiffness Is Associated With Visceral Adiposity in Older Adults Enrolled in the Study of Health, Aging, and Body Composition Hypertension, September 1, 2001; 38(3): 429 - 433. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Hosomi, K. Mizushige, H. Ohyama, T. Takahashi, M. Kitadai, Y. Hatanaka, H. Matsuo, M. Kohno, and J. A. Koziol Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibition With Enalapril Slows Progressive Intima-Media Thickening of the Common Carotid Artery in Patients With Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Stroke, July 1, 2001; 32(7): 1539 - 1545. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. M. Dart and B. A. Kingwell Pulse pressure--a review of mechanisms and clinical relevance J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., March 15, 2001; 37(4): 975 - 984. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Din-Dzietham, D. Liao, A. Diez-Roux, F. J. Nieto, C. Paton, G. Howard, A. Brown, M. Carnethon, and H. A. Tyroler Association of Educational Achievement with Pulsatile Arterial Diameter Change of the Common Crotid Artery The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, 1987-1992 Am. J. Epidemiol., October 1, 2000; 152(7): 617 - 627. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S Manzi, L H Kuller, D Edmundowicz, and K Sutton-Tyrrell Vascular imaging: changing the face of cardiovascular research Lupus, March 1, 2000; 9(3): 176 - 182. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. J. van der Heijden-Spek, J. A. Staessen, R. H. Fagard, A. P. Hoeks, H. A. S. Boudier, and L. M. Van Bortel Effect of Age on Brachial Artery Wall Properties Differs From the Aorta and Is Gender Dependent : A Population Study Hypertension, February 1, 2000; 35(2): 637 - 642. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. J. Teede, Y.-L. Liang, L. M. Shiel, J. J. McNeil, and B. P. McGrath Hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women protects against smoking-induced changes in vascular structure and function J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., July 1, 1999; 34(1): 131 - 137. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. O. Toikka, P. Niemi, M. Ahotupa, H. Niinikoski, J. S. A. Viikari, T. Ronnemaa, J. J. Hartiala, and O. T. Raitakari Large-Artery Elastic Properties in Young Men : Relationships to Serum Lipoproteins and Oxidized Low-Density Lipoproteins Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, February 1, 1999; 19(2): 436 - 441. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Kakiyama, M. Matsuda, and S. Koseki Effect of Physical Activity on the Distensibility of the Aortic Wall in Healthy Males Angiology, October 1, 1998; 49(10): 749 - 757. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. P. McGrath, Y.-L. Liang, H. Teede, L. M. Shiel, J. D. Cameron, and A. Dart Age-Related Deterioration in Arterial Structure and Function in Postmenopausal Women : Impact of Hormone Replacement Therapy Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, July 1, 1998; 18(7): 1149 - 1156. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Tanaka, C. A. DeSouza, and D. R. Seals Absence of Age-Related Increase in Central Arterial Stiffness in Physically Active Women Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, January 1, 1998; 18(1): 127 - 132. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Bonithon-Kopp, P. J. Touboul, C. Berr, C. Magne, and P. Ducimetiere Factors of Carotid Arterial Enlargement in a Population Aged 59 to 71 Years : The EVA Study Stroke, April 1, 1996; 27(4): 654 - 660. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. E. Safar and E. D. Frohlich The Arterial System in Hypertension : A Prospective View Hypertension, July 1, 1995; 26(1): 10 - 14. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				V. Salomaa, W. Riley, J. D. Kark, C. Nardo, and A. R. Folsom Non–Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus and Fasting Glucose and Insulin Concentrations Are Associated With Arterial Stiffness Indexes : The ARIC Study Circulation, March 1, 1995; 91(5): 1432 - 1443. [Abstract] [Full Text]