P.055 Common Carotid Artery Stiffness: More Sensitive to Age and Gender Related Large Artery Stiffening than Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity?

Abstract

Background

The relationship between global arterial stiffness measures and measures based on local diameter and pressure readings is not yet fully understood.

Methods

We compared the changes with age and gender of aortic stiffness parameters – pulse wave velocity (PWV) and total arterial compliance (TAC) – to stiffness indices at the common carotid and femoral arteries – compliance (CC) and distensibility coefficient (DC); β-stiffness index – in a subset of 1026 women and 938 men, all apparently healthy subjects aged 35-55 participating in the Asklepios study.

Results

At the carotid artery, DC and β gradually increased with age with more pronounced stiffening in women, yielding a significant age-gender interaction. A similar trend was observed for CC. Femoral arterial stiffness did not change with age and no age-gender interaction was found. PWV indicated gradual stiffening with age occurring at an equal pace in men and women with no age-gender effect. TAC on the other hand did show a significant age-gender effect next to a change with age: it decreased in women, while remaining constant in men.

Discussion

In healthy middle-aged subjects, the age-related evolution of carotid stiffness and TAC indicates a more rapid increase in large artery stiffness in women than in men. This evolution, however, is not reflected in PWV. We speculate that PWV, integrating the properties of a large arterial segment that gradually varies from a large elastic to a more muscular vessel, might lack the sensitivity to pick up subtle age and gender effects primarily affecting the large, elastic arties.