AUTHOR=Kwak Soongu , Kim Hack-Lyoung , In Minjae , Lim Woo-Hyun , Seo Jae-Bin , Kim Sang-Hyun , Zo Joo-Hee , Kim Myung-A 

TITLE=Associations of Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity With Left Ventricular Geometry and Diastolic Function in Untreated Hypertensive Patients

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2021.647491

DOI=10.3389/fcvm.2021.647491

ISSN=2297-055X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Although brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is simple and convenient, its usefulness as an initial screening test for hypertensive patients is not well-known. This study aimed to investigate the association of baPWV with left ventricular (LV) geometry and diastolic function in treatment-naive hypertensive patients.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> A total of 202 untreated hypertensive patients (mean age, 62 years; males, 51.5%) without documented cardiovascular diseases were prospectively enrolled. Both baPWV and transthoracic echocardiography were performed on the same day before antihypertensive treatment.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> In multiple linear regression analysis after adjustment for potential confounders, baPWV had significant correlations with structural measurements of LV including relative wall thickness (β = 0.219, <italic>P</italic> = 0.021) and LV mass index (β = 0.286, <italic>P</italic> = 0.002), and four diastolic parameters including septal e′ velocity (β = −0.199, <italic>P</italic> = 0.018), E/e′ (β = 0.373, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001), left atrial volume index (β = 0.334, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001), and maximal velocity of tricuspid regurgitation (β = 0.401, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001). The baPWV was significantly increased in patients with LV hypertrophy, abnormal LV remodeling, or diastolic dysfunction, compared to those without (<italic>P</italic> = 0.008, <italic>P</italic> = 0.035, and <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001, respectively). In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the discriminant ability of baPWV in predicting LV hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction had an area under the curve of 0.646 (95% confidence interval 0.544–0.703, <italic>P</italic> = 0.004) and 0.734 (95% confidence interval 0.648–0.800, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001), respectively.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> baPWV was associated with parameters of LV remodeling and diastolic function in untreated hypertensive patients. The baPWV could be a useful screening tool for the early detection of adverse cardiac features among untreated hypertensive patients.</p>