Usefulness of Aortic Strain Analysis by Velocity Vector Imaging as a New Echocardiographic Measure of Arterial Stiffness

Kim, Kye Hun; Park, Jong Chun; Yoon, Hyun Ju; Yoon, Nam Sik; Hong, Young Joon; Park, Hyung Wook; Kim, Ju Han; Ahn, Youngkeun; Jeong, Myung Ho; Cho, Jeong Gwan; Kang, Jung Chaee

doi:10.1016/j.echo.2009.08.024

« Previous Next »Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography
Volume 22, Issue 12 , Pages 1382-1388, December 2009

Usefulness of Aortic Strain Analysis by Velocity Vector Imaging as a New Echocardiographic Measure of Arterial Stiffness

Kye Hun Kim, MD
- Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Gwangju, Korea
Jong Chun Park, MD
- Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Gwangju, Korea
- Reprint requests: Jong Chun Park, MD, PhD, Professor, Chief of Internal Medicine, Director of Echocardiography Laboratory, The Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, 8 Hak-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-757, Korea.
Hyun Ju Yoon, MD
- Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Gwangju, Korea
Nam Sik Yoon, MD
- Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Gwangju, Korea
Young Joon Hong, MD
- Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Gwangju, Korea
Hyung Wook Park, MD
- Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Gwangju, Korea
Ju Han Kim, MD
- Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Gwangju, Korea
Youngkeun Ahn, MD, FACC
- Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Gwangju, Korea
Myung Ho Jeong, MD, FACC, FAHA, FESC, FSCAI
- Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Gwangju, Korea
Jeong Gwan Cho, MD, FACC
- Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Gwangju, Korea
Jung Chaee Kang, MD
- Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Gwangju, Korea

Background

The role of velocity vector imaging (VVI) in evaluating arterial stiffness is not well known. We investigated the usefulness of vascular strain analysis by VVI in evaluating arterial stiffness.

Methods

Heart-femoral and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocities (PWVs) were measured as standard parameters of arterial stiffness. Intima–media thickness (IMT), fractional shortening (FS), fractional area change (FAC) by two-dimensional (2D) and VVI methods, and peak circumferential strain (PS) of the descending thoracic aorta were measured as echocardiographic parameters of arterial stiffness and compared with PWV in 137 patients (53.8 ± 13.4 years, 71 male).

Results

Heart-femoral PWV was 9.0 ± 2.4 m/s, and brachial-ankle PWV was 14.1 ± 3.0 m/s. Aortic IMT was 0.97 ± 0.23 mm, and FS was 10.0% ± 4.0%. FAC was 10.9% ± 5.2% by 2D tracing and 10.3% ± 5.1% by the VVI method. PS was 5.4% ± 3.0%. PS showed significant negative correlation with aortic IMT (r = −0.49, P < .01) and PWV (heart-femoral: r = −0.67, brachial-ankle: r = −0.75, P < .01). PS showed significant positive correlation with FS (r = 0.80, P < .01) and FAC (2D tracing: r = 0.86, VVI: r = 0.88, P < .01). Aortic IMT showed significant positive correlation with PWV (heart-femoral: r = 0.44, brachial-ankle: r = 0.60, P < .01) and negative correlation with FS (r = −0.61, P < .01) and FAC (2D tracing: r = −0.51, VVI: r = − 0.51, P < .01). FS showed significant negative correlation with PWV (heart-femoral: r = −0.54, brachial-ankle: r = −0.72, P < .01). FAC showed significant negative correlation with heart-femoral (2D method: r = −0.61, VVI: r = −0.62, P < .01) and brachial-ankle (2D tracing: r = −0.71, VVI: r = −0.73, P < .01) PWV.

Conclusion

PS and FAC measured by VVI were significantly associated with parameters of arterial stiffness and thus can be used as new echocardiographic parameters of arterial stiffness.

Keywords: Arterial stiffness, Echocardiography, Strain