A Simple Method of Measuring Thoracic Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity in Children: Methods and Normal Values

Jo, Colleen O.; Lande, Marc B.; Meagher, Cecilia C.; Wang, Hongyue; Vermilion, Roger P.

doi:10.1016/j.echo.2010.04.018

« Previous Next »Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography
Volume 23, Issue 7 , Pages 735-740, July 2010

A Simple Method of Measuring Thoracic Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity in Children: Methods and Normal Values

Colleen O. Jo, MD
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
Marc B. Lande, MD
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
Cecilia C. Meagher, MD
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
Hongyue Wang, PhD
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
Roger P. Vermilion, MD
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
- Reprint requests: Roger P. Vermilion, MD, University of Rochester Medical Center, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 631, Rochester, NY 14642.

published online 04 June 2010.

Background

The objective of this study was to define a simple method of measuring thoracic aortic pulse-wave velocity (PWV) using only an aortic length regression equation based on the subject's height and two pulsed Doppler recordings of the aorta.

Methods

The thoracic aortas of 80 subjects (age range, 0-20 years) were measured retrospectively by direct echocardiographic visualization. A simple linear regression equation for thoracic aortic length on the basis of height was derived. PWV was defined as the thoracic aortic length, derived from the subject's height, divided by pulse transit time. Pulse transit time was defined as the difference in the time of onset of two pulsed Doppler recordings placed at the level of the aortic valve leaflet tips and the diaphragm. Normative data were retrospectively defined in 206 children.

Results

Thoracic aortic length was linearly related to subject height by the equation thoracic aortic length (cm) = 1.7 cm + 0.1 (height [cm]) (R² = 0.98, P < .0001). Thoracic aortic PWV was independent of age (median, 3.04 m/s).

Conclusion

Thoracic aortic PWV can be simply calculated from a routine echocardiogram, it is constant throughout childhood, and it may improve the assessment of left ventricular load.

Keywords: Pulse-wave velocity, Arterial stiffness, Aorta, Pediatric, Echocardiography

Abbreviations: MRI, Magnetic resonance imaging, PWV, Pulse-wave velocity