Central aortic pressure indices and cardiovascular risk factors: Demographic, clinical, and prognostic characterization

Abstract

Objectives: The primary objective of the study was to assess the association between central aortic blood pressure indices and coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients undergoing elective angiography and the secondary objective was to study whether any association exists between central aortic pressure indices and the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in the same patients during a 6-month follow-up period. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study in consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography. Central and peripheral pressures were invasively recorded and CAD was classified into obstructive and nonobstructive group. CAD severity was graded using the Gensini score and patients were divided into tertiles. Patients were followed up, and the role of central aortic pressure indices in the prediction of cardiovascular events was analyzed. Results: A total of 623 patients were enrolled. Central pulsatility was found to be most closely associated with severity of CAD by univariate analysis, with age, sex, and smoking status being important predictors of pulsatility. A positive correlation was found between the central and peripheral mean and pulse pressures. No significant association was noted between the central aortic pressures and MACE on short-term follow-up. Conclusions: Of the various central aortic pressure indices studied, central pulsatility was found to be most closely associated with the severity of CAD.

Keywords

• Central aortic pressure
• coronary artery disease
• Gensini score
• pulsatility
• pulse pressure