Carotid resistive index in treated hypertensive patients: relationship with target organ damage.

Aim: The resistive index (RI) is a hemodynamic parameter that reflects local wall extensibility and related vascular resistance. We analyze the relationship between common carotid RI and target organ damage in treated hypertensive patients.

Methods: We analyzed 265 consecutive hypertensive patients. Risk factors, cardiovascular history and treatments were collected; blood test, urinary albumin excretion (UAE), echocardiography to determine left ventricular mass index (LVMI), ankle-brachial index (ABI) and carotid echo-Doppler ultrasound to calculate the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and RI of both common carotids arteries were performed.

Results: A positive correlation was found between carotid RI and age, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, carotid IMT, LVMI, UAE and a negative correlation was found with diastolic blood pressure and ABI. Subjects at the top quartile of carotid RI showed a higher prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy and peripheral artery disease (increased IMT, carotid plaques and lower ABI) compared with those with low RI (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that age, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and LVMI independently influence carotid RI.

Conclusion: Carotid RI is related with age, systolic-diastolic blood pressure and LVMI in hypertensive patient. This evaluation could predict the presence of early cardiovascular damage and provide an accurate estimation of overall risk in this population.