AI Article Synopsis
- - Ascending aorta dilatation is common in hypertensive patients, occurring in about 13%, yet its elastic properties are not well understood, prompting a study using echo-based transverse aortic strain analysis to evaluate aortic stiffness.
- - The study involved 100 hypertensive patients who were grouped by ascending aorta diameter, revealing that larger diameters corresponded to significantly higher aortic stiffness (Beta-SI), indicating a clear relationship between dilatation and mechanical properties.
- - Findings showed that a higher Beta-SI was predictive of ascending aorta dilatation and correlated with cardiovascular damage, including increased left ventricular mass and pulse wave velocity, highlighting the clinical importance of aortic stiffness assessment in hypertensive patients. *
Article Abstract
Background: Ascending aorta dilatation is found in 13% of hypertensive patients. Little is known about elastic properties of ascending aorta in such patients. Echo-based transverse aortic strain analysis can describe mechanical properties of ascending aorta but has never been applied to patients with ascending aorta dilatation.
Aim: To assess mechanical properties of ascending aorta by transverse aortic strain analysis (as β2-stiffness index) in hypertensive patients with ascending aorta dilatation and association between mechanical properties of ascending aorta and cardiovascular damage.
Methods: A total of 100 hypertensive outpatients underwent transthoracic echocardiography and assessment of pulse wave velocity (PWV). Strain analysis of ascending aorta was performed with echocardiographic speckle-tracking software. Patients were divided in three groups based on ascending aorta diameter: less than 40, 40-45, and at least 45 mm.
Results: Beta-SI increased exponentially with ascending aorta dimensions (P < 0.001). Patients with ascending aorta dilatation had Beta-SI significantly higher than those with normal ascending aorta diameter. A greater proportion of patient with impaired (i.e., elevated) Beta-SI was present in groups with larger ascending aorta (18.2 vs. 48.4 vs. 80%, respectively, P < 0.05). On multivariate logistic regression only impaired Beta-SI predicted ascending aorta dilatation (P < 0.001). Beta-SI was related to cardiovascular damage in terms of left ventricular (LV) mass (LV mass indexed to BSA, P = 0.030) and PWV (P = 0.028). Patients with high Beta-SI had greater LV mass indexed to BSA (117 ± 47 vs. 94 ± 24 g/m2; P = 0.010) and PWV (10.20 ± 2.99 vs. 8.63 ± 1.88 m/s; P = 0.013).
Conclusion: Ascending aorta dilatation is associated with increased local aortic stiffness in hypertensive patients. Strain analysis adds functional information to the mere morphological evaluation of aortic diameter and could be a useful tool to better define cardiovascular risk in this population.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000002757 | DOI Listing |
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