Wall shear stress measured with 4D flow CMR correlates with biomarkers of inflammation and collagen synthesis in mild-to-moderate ascending aortic dilation and tricuspid aortic valves.

Aims: Understanding the mechanisms underlying ascending aortic dilation is imperative for refined risk stratification of these patients, particularly among incidentally identified patients, most commonly presenting with tricuspid valves. The aim of this study was to explore associations between ascending aortic haemodynamics, assessed using four-dimensional flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (4D flow CMR), and circulating biomarkers in aortic dilation.

Methods And Results: Forty-seven cases with aortic dilation (diameter ≥ 40 mm) and 50 sex-and age-matched controls (diameter < 40 mm), all with tricuspid aortic valves, underwent 4D flow CMR and venous blood sampling.

Increased diameter and stiffness of elastic but not muscular arteries in men with abdominal aortic aneurysm.

It has been proposed that formation of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is part of a systemic arterial dilatative disease. However, arteries in the upper extremities are scarcely studied and it remains unclear whether both muscular and elastic arteries are affected by the proposed systemic arterial dilatation. The aim of this study was to investigate the diameter and stiffness of muscular and elastic arteries in arterial branches originating from the aortic arch.

Regional and Global Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

Objective: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is commonly defined as localised aortic dilatation with a diameter > 30 mm. The pathophysiology of AAA includes chronic inflammation and enzymatic degradation of elastin, possibly increasing aortic wall stiffness and pulse wave velocity (PWV). Whether aortic stiffness is more prominent in the abdominal aorta at the aneurysm site is not elucidated.

Helical flow in tortuous aortas and its relationship to turbulence: A whole-aorta 4D flow MRI study.

Background: Increased vascular tortuosity is a hallmark of ageing of the vascular system, including the aorta. However, the impact of tortuosity on aortic blood flow is unknown. We hypothesized that increased tortuosity would be associated with increased blood flow helicity and with decreased degree of blood flow turbulence as measured by the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE).

Radial artery lumen diameter and intima thickness in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Objective: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is associated with dilatation of central elastic arteries, while it is uncertain whether peripheral muscular arteries are affected. The aim of this study was to investigate radial artery diastolic lumen diameter (LD), wall thickness, and circumferential wall stress (CWS) in patients with AAA.

Methods: We included 130 men with AAA (mean age, 70.