Arterial Stiffness Parameters Correlate with Estimated Cardiovascular Risk in Humans: A Clinical Study

Arterial stiffness is said to be a novel predictor of cardiovascular events. This study investigated the correlation between arterial stiffness parameters and the estimated cardiovascular disease risk ( RISK) in a Polish cohort of patients divided by age, sex, and body-mass index ( BMI). The cross-sectional study enrolled 295 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Subjects were divided into three age groups, four weight groups, and by gender. The stiffness of the vessels was assessed by the measurement of the stiffness index ( SI) and reflection index ( RI). An individual 10-year RISK was calculated for each patient using the Heart Risk Calculator algorithm by the American Heart Association. A correlation between the SI and estimated RISK was observed ( r(S) 0.42, p < 0.05). The strongest relationship was presented for women, the age group 40-54, and individuals with normal weight. The correlation between RI and calculated RISK was observed ( r(S) 0.19, p < 0.05), the highest correlation was noticed for people aged 40-54 and obese. In conclusion, both SI and RI are correlated with estimated cardiovascular risk, however SI seems to be more useful than RI to predict the individual risk of future cardiovascular events. Both of these can be measured using non-invasive techniques, which demonstrates their potential utility in clinical practice.