ASSOCIATION OF INCREASED AORTIC PULSE PRESSURE AND AORTIC PULSATILITY WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE AND METABOLIC SYNDROME

Purpose: Aortic pulse pressure and aortic pulsatility are reported to predict cardiovascular risk. Here, we aimed to investigate the association of coronary artery disease and metabolic syndrome with central blood pressure values, which are more reliable than peripheral pressure measurements. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and four consecutive patients (129 men, mean age 56.3 +/- 11.1) who underwent cardiac catheterization for the first time were included in the study. All subjects also underwent biochemical investigations and hemodynamic measurements. Hemodynamic parameters like systolic and diastolic aortic pressures were measured during cardiac catheterization using a fluid-filled system in the ascending aorta. Parameters like aortic pulsatility and aortic pulse pressure were calculated and compared between four groups: I) control group, who did not have coronary artery disease or metabolic syndrome, II) patient group who had only metabolic syndrome, III) patient group who had only coronary artery disease, IV) patient group who had both coronary artery disease and metabolic syndrome. Results: Hemodynamic parameters like aortic diastolic blood pressure did not differ between the groups. Aortic pulsatility was significantly higher in all 3 patient groups compared to the control group (p<0.001). This difference was most significant in patient group IV (p=0.010). Aortic pulse pressure was highest in group II, followed by group III and group IV, compared to the control group (p=0.003). Conclusion: Our findings clearly show that high aortic pulsatility and aortic pulse pressure, which are evidence of atherosclerosis, are encountered as frequently or even more frequently in metabolic syndrome as they are in coronary artery disease. Secondly we demonstrated a close relationship between angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease and increased aortic pulse pressure, similar to previous reports.