Comparative analysis of START and CAVI arterial stiffness scores in hypertensive patients

Abstract

Aim. To compare the novel arterial stiffness index START and the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) in hypertensive (HTN) patients. Material and methods. A total of 709 people with HTN aged 24 to 64 years were examined by volume sphygmography using VaSera VS-1000 (Fukuda Denshi, Japan). CAVI and START values obtained retrospectively from pulse wave velocity and blood pressure were studied using an online calculator.Results. The median CAVI score was within the normal range (<9,0): 7,5 (6,6; 8,4) on the right and 7,4 (6,5; 8,4) on the left. The median of the START index was 6,25 (5,0; 7,55) on the right and 6,4 (5,1; 7,8) on the left. For young people (21-30 years old), the median START score was 4,47, for the CAVI index — 6,25 (p>0,05). In the older age group (61-70 years), the median START index was 7,27, for the CAVI index — 8,4 (p>0,05). The growth pattern of the START score with age was higher by 38,5% than the CAVI index by 25,6% (p=0,034). A high degree of correlation between CAVI and START was noted (r=0,823, p<0,001). Parameters were associated with age (r=0,412 for CAVI and r=0,355 for START; p<0,001), smoking duration (r=0,390 and r=0,361; p<0,001), glomerular filtration rate (r=-0,317 and r= -0,318; p<0,001), body mass index (r=-0,176 and r=-0,185; p=0,001). For the CAVI index, a relationship was found with the glucose level (r=0,192; p<0,001) and a sedentary lifestyle (r=-0,157; p=0,04), while for the START index — with the creatinine level (r=0,143; p=0,01).Conclusion. Patients with hypertension showed a high correlation between the novel START index and the CAVI score (r=0,823, p<0,001). The indicators had similar associations with risk factors, which is important for the subsequent practical application of the START index.

Keywords

• cardio-ankle vascular index
• arterial stiffness
• start arterial stiffness index
• risk factors
• hypertension
• pulse wave velocity