Assessment of Arterial Distensibility by Automatic Pulse Wave Velocity Measurement

Abstract

Pulse wave velocity is widely used as an index of arterial distensibility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of a new automatic device to measure it and then to analyze the major determinants of pulse wave velocity by application of this device in a large population. We evaluated the accuracy of on-line and computerized measurement of pulse wave velocity using an algorithm based on the time-shifted and repeated linear correlation calculation between the initial rise in pressure waveforms compared with the reference method (manual calculation) in 56 subjects. The results, analyzed according to the recommendations of Bland and Altman, showed a mean difference of -0.20 +/- 0.45 m/s for the mean carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity values (reference method, 11.05 +/- 2.58 m/s; automatic device, 10.85 +/- 2.44 m/s). The interreproducibility and intrareproducibility of measurements by each method were analyzed with the use of the repeatability coefficient according to the British Standards Institution. The interobserver repeatability coefficient was 0.947 for the manual method and 0.890 for the automatic, and intraobserver repeatability coefficients were 0.938 and 0.935, respectively. We evaluated the major determinants of the carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity measured by the automatic method in a separate study performed in 418 subjects of both sexes without any cardiovascular treatment or complication (18 to 77 years of age; 98 to 222 mm Hg systolic and 62 to 130 mm Hg diastolic pressure).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Comparative study of methodologies for pulse wave velocity estimation

“…A proprietary algorithm is then used to identify the waveform in the proximal and the peripheral artery to measure the time difference between the two sites and thereby to calculate the PWV from the distance between the two sites. 18 PulsePen (DiaTecne s.r.l., Milan Italy). With this device, the delay between pressure wave is determined by a single high-fidelity applanation tonometer to obtain the carotid and femoral pulse recorded sequentially in highly rapid succession, using the electrocardiogram trace as reference ( Figure 1, lower panel).…”

“…The pressure wave can be recorded directly by means of force recorders, such as highfidelity applanation tonometers [14][15][16][17] or by detecting arterial wall motion secondary to pulse pressure by means of mechanotransducers or ultrasonographic systems. [18][19][20][21][22] A surrogate of PWV, the stiffness index (SI), has also been proposed by assessing capillary consequences of arterial stiffness using photoplethysmography, although some studies have showed a feeble correlation between SI and carotid-femoral PWV (PWV cÀf ). [23][24][25] The calculation of propagation time can be measured by various means, including analyzing the foot of the pulse wave, the points of maximum upslope or peak-to-peak time.…”

Aortic stiffness, inflammation, denutrition and prognosis in the oldest people

“…Aortic PWV was determined by using the foot-tofoot method as described previously 22 (Complior, Colson, Paris); it was available in n ¼ 283 subjects. The superficial distance covered by the pulse wave was measured directly from the carotid to the femoral artery.…”

Association between 24-hour ambulatory heart rate and arterial stiffness

“…This method has been described previously. 16 Briefly, two pressure waves were recorded transcutaneously at two sites (at the base of the neck for the common carotid artery and over the right femoral artery). PWVcf is measured using an algorithm based on the timeshifted and repeated linear correlation calculation between the initial rise in pressure waveforms.…”