Risk factors for stiffness of the wall of the thoracic aorta in patients with mild atherosis.

Previous studies have suggested that aging is associated with progressive arterial stiffness and widening of the pulse pressure, and pulse pressure has been found to be a risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. However, the effects of age, blood pressure (including pulse pressure) or atherogenic factors on thoracic aortic wall stiffness in patients with mild atherosis are unclear, so the present study used transesophageal echocardiography to examine 103 consecutive patients with various cardiovascular diseases. The extent of atherosis was evaluated in terms of intima-medial thickness (IMT), and 2 indices of wall stiffness in the aorta were calculated: elastic modulus and stiffness parameter (beta). In subjects with mild atherosis (IMT <1.0mm), age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, triglyceride level, and hypertension were factors significantly associated with high wall stiffness, and multiple logistic stepwise analysis revealed that age, pulse pressure, and triglyceride level were particularly significant.