Cardio-ankle vascular index for predicting cardiovascular morbimortality and determinants for its progression in the prospective advanced approach to arterial stiffness (TRIPLE-A-Stiffness) study.

Background: The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) measure of arterial stiffness is associated with prevalent cardiovascular risk factors, while its predictive value for cardiovascular events remains to be established. The aim was to determine associations of CAVI with cardiovascular morbimortality (primary outcome) and all-cause mortality (secondary outcome), and to establish the determinants of CAVI progression.

Methods: TRIPLE-A-Stiffness, an international multicentre prospective longitudinal study, enrolled >2000 subjects ≥40 years old at 32 centres from 18 European countries.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin-II-receptor antagonists modulate sodium handling based on endogenous lithium clearance.

Background: Numerous studies based on assessment of lithium clearance demonstrated higher sodium reabsorption in renal proximal tubules in individuals with hypertension, overweight, obesity, metabolic syndrome, or diabetes.

Aims: We aimed to assess the influence of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) or angiotensin-II-receptor antagonists (ARB) treatment on sodium handling.

Methods: In a sample of 351Caucasian subjects without diuretic treatment with prevailing sodium consumption, we studied associations between renal sodium reabsorption in proximal (FPRNa) and distal (FDRNa) tubules assessed by endogenous lithium clearance and daily sodium intake measured by 24-hour excretion of sodium (UNaV), in the context of obesity and long-term treatment with ACE-I or ARB.

Cardiovascular risk factors as determinants of cerebral blood flow - a cross-sectional and 6-year follow-up study.

The parameters of cerebral blood flow are modulated by many factors. The aim of the study was to prospectively assess the relationship between the number of the established cardiovascular risk factors and hemodynamic parameters of cerebral blood flow. The study was cross-sectional baseline and 6-year follow-up data analysis.

Insulin Resistance and Renal Sodium Handling Influence Arterial Stiffness in Hypertensive Patients with Prevailing Sodium Intake.

Background: Insulin resistance and renal tubular sodium handling influence arterial structure and function and play an essential role in salt-sensitive forms of hypertension.

Methods: In a population with prevailing sodium consumption, we assessed the relationship between cardiovascular phenotypes (peripheral and central blood pressures, elastic properties of large arteries, the left ventricular structure) and sodium handling parameters (daily urinary sodium excretion, fractional urinary lithium excretion in proximal-FELi and distal tubules), as a function of insulin sensitivity-measured by homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), leptin-to-adiponectin (L/A) ratio, and homeostasis model assessment-adiponectin (HOMA-AD).

Results: In patients with FELi below the median value (corresponding to the group with increased proximal sodium reabsorption) and higher insulin resistance as measured by HOMA-IR, pulse wave augmentation indexes were significantly higher-AIxP (99.

Effects of metabolic syndrome on arterial function in different age groups: the Advanced Approach to Arterial Stiffness study.

Objective: The aim of the Advanced Approach to Arterial Stiffness study was to compare arterial stiffness measured simultaneously with two different methods in different age groups of middle-aged and older adults with or without metabolic syndrome (MetS). The specific effects of the different MetS components on arterial stiffness were also studied.

Methods: This prospective, multicentre, international study included 2224 patients aged 40 years and older, 1664 with and 560 without MetS.

Blood pressure, arterial stiffness and endogenous lithium clearance in relation to AGTR1 A1166C and AGTR2 G1675A gene polymorphisms.

Introduction: Although recently a matter of epidemiologic controversy, sodium overload and its interaction with genetic factors predispose to hypertension and related target organ complications.

Methods: In 131 (66 male) treated hypertensives, we measured peripheral and central arterial pressures and pulse wave augmentation indexes (AIx(P), AIx(C1), AIx(C2)), pulse wave velocity (PWV), daily urinary sodium excretion and did genetic studies of AGTR1 A1166C and AGTR2 G1675A polymorphisms. Proximal (FE(Li)) and distal (FDR(Na)) sodium reabsorption measurements were performed using endogenous lithium clearance.

Osteoprotegerin and osteoprotegerin/TRAIL ratio are associated with cardiovascular dysfunction and mortality among patients with renal failure.

Purpose: The high prevalence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is observed especially in those undergoing dialysis. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and its ligands, receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) have been associated with cardiovascular complications. Our aim was to study their role as cardiovascular risk factors in stage 5 CKD patients.

The relation between ACE D/I and CYP11B2 C-344T polymorphisms and parameters of arterial stiffness in the context of renal sodium handling.

Background: Sodium overload is related to the development of primary hypertension and its complications.

Methods: In 131 (65 female) treated hypertensives (average blood pressure 144/82 mmHg and duration of hypertension 11.7 years), we measured peripheral and central arterial pressures, peripheral (AIx(P)) and central (AIx(C1), AIx(C2)) augmentation indices, pulse-wave velocity (PWV) and daily urinary sodium excretion, and conducted genetic studies of ACE D/I and CYP11B2 C-344T polymorphisms.

Does sodium intake affect the relationship between blood pressure and vascular damage?

Introduction: Although the differences between central and peripheral blood pressure (BP) values have been known for decades, the consequences of decision making based on peripheral rather than central BP have only recently been recognized. Recently, a U-shaped relation between sodium intake and cardiovascular risk has been suggested.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between intima-media thickness (IMT) and central and peripheral BP as well as the effect of 24-hour urinary sodium excretion on this relationship.

Comprehensive geriatric evaluation in former Siberian deportees with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Objectives: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after exposure to particularly traumatic events. Its severity depends on the nature and intensity of the stressor and the susceptibility of the exposed person. The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between PTSD resulting from deportation to Siberia in the patients' childhood and cognitive, emotional, and physical decline in advanced age.

Association of red blood cell distribution width, inflammation markers and morphological as well as rheological erythrocyte parameters with target organ damage in hypertension.

Objectives: To assess the relationships of red blood cell distribution width (RDW), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and erythrocyte deformability with pathological changes of selected target organs, and with inflammation markers interleukin-6 (IL-6) and fibrinogen, in a group of newly diagnosed, never-treated and otherwise healthy hypertensive patients.

Methods: The study group consisted of 101 adults divided into three sub-groups: 37 diagnosed arterial hypertension, 29 with hypercholesterolemia, and 35 healthy. The individuals with hypertension or hypercholesterolemia were otherwise healthy and were not on any therapy prior to entering the study.

Age dependency of central and peripheral systolic blood pressures: cross-sectional and longitudinal observations in European populations.

Background: As arteries become stiffer with ageing, reflected waves move faster and augment late systolic pressure. We investigated the age dependency of peripheral and central systolic pressure, pressure amplification (peripheral systolic blood pressure - central systolic blood pressure), and peripheral and central systolic augmentation (maximal systolic pressure minus the first peak of the pressure wave).

Methods: We randomly recruited 1420 White Europeans (mean age, 41.

Fractal dimensions of skin microcirculation flow in subjects with familial predisposition or newly diagnosed hypertension.

Background: Fractal analysis has been shown to be capable of characterizing irregular time series generated in non-linear systems. Fluctuations in skin flow signals have a fractal nature, but to date there has been no analysis of subjects with hypertension. The aim of this study is to assess the fractal dimensions of skin microcirculation flows in subjects with a familial predisposition or newly diagnosed hypertension.

Stiffness of large arteries and cardiovascular risk in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Aims: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after exposure to particularly traumatic events. Its severity depends on the nature and intensity of the stressor and susceptibility of the exposed person. The present study was carried out to find out whether PTSD and its severity, resulting from deportation to Siberia in the patients' childhood (from 1940 to 1946), have any association on the somatic health status and cardiovascular risk of these persons in advanced age.

Local heat stress and skin blood flowmotion in subjects with familial predisposition or newly diagnosed hypertension.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the skin microcirculation blood flow and flowmotion response to heat stress in normotensive subjects with familial predisposition to hypertension and in hypertensive patients.

Methods: Normotensives without [NT(-)] or with [NT(+)] familial predisposition and subjects with newly diagnosed hypertension (HT) were studied. Clinic blood pressure (BP) measurements and ambulatory BP monitoring as well as laboratory assessments were performed.

Women with prehypertension in primary care - Risk profile on the basis of selected cardiovascular risk factors.

Background: Demographic, social and economic trends will serve to increase the importance of women as healthcare consumers. Design. The aim of the study was to assess cardiovascular (CV) risk in the normotensive female patients during single visit to primary care (PC) offices.

Aortic pulse wave velocity and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity: similarities and discrepancies.

The objectives of this study were to determine the relationship between carotid-femoral (cfPWV) and aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) and to compare their modulators and association with coronary artery disease (CAD). We studied 107 consecutive patients (68 men) with a mean age of 60.49+/-8.

Heritability and intrafamilial aggregation of arterial characteristics.

Background: We investigated the heritability and familial aggregation of various indexes of arterial stiffness and wave reflection and we partitioned the phenotypic correlation between these traits into shared genetic and environmental components.

Methods: Using a family-based population sample, we recruited 204 parents (mean age, 51.7 years) and 290 offspring (29.

Arterial stiffness is increased in hypertensive centenarians.

Background: The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between blood pressure and arterial stiffness in Polish centenarians.

Materials And Methods: We examined 59 centenarians with the mean age of 101.3 years.

Reference values in white Europeans for the arterial pulse wave recorded by means of the SphygmoCor device.

Measurement of blood pressure together with applanation tonometry at the radial artery allows the reproducible assessment of various indexes of arterial stiffness, including the peripheral (PPp) and central pulse pressures (PPc) and the peripheral (Alp) and central augmentation indexes (Alc). We defined preliminary diagnostic thresholds, using the distributional characteristics of these hemodynamic measurements in a reference population. We randomly recruited 870 subjects from 3 European populations.

Pulse wave velocity in patients with coronary artery disease or type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To check whether the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) has a differentiating effect on arterial stiffness assessed with pulse wave velocity (PWV)--a simple, reproducible and clinically feasible measure of arterial stiffening.

Methods And Results: The mean age of 101 participants was 63.5 +/- 19.

Sodium excretion as a modulator of genetic associations with cardiovascular phenotypes in the European Project on Genes in Hypertension.

Hypertension is a chronic age-related disorder, affecting nearly 20% of all adult Europeans. This disease entails debilitating cardiovascular complications and is the leading cause for drug prescriptions in Europeans older than 50 years. Intensive research over the past two decades has so far failed to identify common genetic polymorphisms with a major impact on blood pressure or associated cardiovascular phenotypes, suggesting that multiple genes each with a minor impact, along with gene-gene and gene-environment interactions, play a role.

Arterial characteristics in normotensive offspring of parents with or without a history of hypertension.

Background: In this study we compared the arterial characteristics and blood pressure (BP) of normotensive offspring of two normotensive parents (OFF/NT) and normotensive offspring who had at least one hypertensive parent (OFF/HT).

Methods: A total of 174 OFF/HT (17 to 40 years of age) and 59 OFF/NT (16 to 34 years) were recruited in Cracow, Poland (n = 138) and Pilsen, Czech Republic (n = 95). Peripheral pulse pressure (PPp) was determined from conventional and 24-h ambulatory BP.