Individualizing the aorto-radial pressure transfer function: feasibility of a model-based approach

We fitted a three-segment transmission line model for the radial-carotid/aorta pressure transfer function (TFF) in 31 controls and 30 patients with coronary artery disease using noninvasively measured (tonometry) radial and carotid artery pressures (P-car). Except for the distal reflection coefficient (0.85 +/- 0.21 in patients vs. 0.71 +/- 0.25 in controls; P < 0.05), model parameters were not different between patients or controls. Parameters were not related to blood pressure, age, or heart rate. We further assessed a point-to-point averaged TFF (TFFavg) as well as upper (TFFmax) and lower (TFFmin) enveloping TFF. Pulse pressure (PP) and augmentation index (AIx) were derived on original and reconstructed P-car (P-car,P-r). TFFavg yielded closest morphological agreement between P-car and P-car,P-r (root mean square = 4.3 +/- 2.3 mmHg), and TTFavg best predicted PP (41.5 +/- 11.8 vs. 41.1 +/- 10.0 mmHg measured) and AIx (20.02 +/- 0.19 vs. 0.01 +/- 0.19). PP and AIx, calculated from P-car or P-car,P-r, were higher in patients than in controls, irrespectively of the TFF used. We conclude that 1) averaged TFF yield significant discrepancies between reconstructed and measured pressure waveforms and subsequent derived AIx; and 2) different TFFs seem to preserve the information in the pressure wave that discriminates between controls and patients.