P16 PULSE WAVE VELOCITY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH FIRST CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS IN A PORTUGUESE HYPERTENSIVE SAMPLE

Abstract

Objective: Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) is considered a marker of cardiovascular (CV) risk prognosis. The objective was to evaluate the association of PWV, other features and CV events in a sample of hypertensive patients. Design and method: We studied 314 hypertensive patients without previous CV events evaluated by PWV in a Portuguese average-size hospital, through its descriptive and survival analysis. Results: Of the 314 patients (51% male) ageing 54.0 ± 14.2 years, 31.5% had resistant hypertension, 26.8% were diabetic, 66.6% had hyperlipidaemia, the average body mass index was 28.3 kg m−2, and 16.6% were active smoker. Through a follow-up of 2.1 ± 2.2 years, 28 patients (8.9%) had a CV event. Comparison of the patients with PWV ≤ 10 ms−1 and the patients with PWV >10 ms−1, showed statistical significance for age (64.3 ± 10.5 vs 50.2 ± 13.4 years, p < 0.0001), casual systolic blood pressure (137.4 ± 16.3 mmHg vs 154.4 ± 21.4 mmHg, p < 0.0001), PWV (7.9 ± 1,2 ms−1 vs 12.2 ± 1.9 ms−1, p < 0.0001) left ventricular hypertrophy (193,3 ± 58.6 vs 235,8 ± 65.1, p < 0.01) and left auricular volume (19,9 ± 3.9 vs 23.3 ± 5.8, p < 0.002). Patients with PWV>10ms−1, 77,3% had left ventricular hypertrophy (p < 0.004) and 70% had left auricular enlargement (p < 0.08). In the survival analysis, the Kaplan Meier curve showed a worse prognosis for CV events with PWV > 10 ms−1 (log rank 6.0, p < 0,014). Conclusions: Higher PWV indicating worse artery damage is associated with end organ damage like left ventricular hypertrophy and left auricular enlargement. In patients with no previous CV events, PWV>10 ms−1 is an indicator for worse prognosis for CV events.