Arterial stiffness is associated with atherosclerosis and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in general or hypertensive patients. However, the relationships between the arterial stiffness index measured at the radial artery and LV diastolic dysfunction in asymptomatic high-risk patients without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) have not been fully established.
A total 532 statin-naïve patients (male:female ratio, 230:302, mean age, 56.0 ± 9.2 years) without ASCVD were enrolled from among subjects who simultaneously underwent transthoracic echocardiography and noninvasive semiautomated radial artery applanation tonometry from July 2011 to May 2014. Of these patients, 213 were categorized as the statin benefit group (Benefit) according to guidelines for blood cholesterol treatment, and the rest were placed in the nonbenefit control group (NoBenefit). Each group was subdivided into two groups (Y or N) according to antihypertensive medication administration. Thus, there were 4 groups: BenefitN (n = 80), BenefitY (n = 133), NoBenefitN (n = 251), and NoBenefitY (n = 68). There were significant differences in echocardiographic parameters of LV function and indices of arterial stiffness between the Benefit and NoBenefit groups. After adjusting for several risk factors, independent significant associations between echocardiographic parameters of LV diastolic function and arterial indices were identified with multivariate linear regression analysis in the Benefit patients.
Parameters of arterial stiffness measured at the radial artery are associated with echocardiographic indices of LV diastolic function in asymptomatic high-risk patients without ASCVD. Therapies that prevent progression of arterial stiffness and reduce late-systolic pressure overload may help to reduce the prevalence of LV diastolic dysfunction in this population.