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Biomedical subjects

B Pannier

Publications and source records attributed to B Pannier.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Atherosclerosis versus arterial stiffness in advanced renal failure.

Epidemiological as well as clinical studies have shown that regardless of the severity of renal impairment the cardiovascular mortality in renal disease patients is very high compared to the general population. In uremia, cardiovascular disease is a combination of atherosclerosis, characterized by the presence of highly calcified plaques, and arteriosclerosis, an arterial wall alteration in response to both hemodynamic changes and humoral modifications such as inflammation or calcium-phosphate imbalance. Vascular endothelium, recognized as a large and complex endocrine organ strategically located between the wall of the blood vessel and the blood stream, could be the link between these two processes evolving during the same course.

Arteries↗
PubMed2006

Cardiovascular risk markers associated with the metabolic syndrome in a large French population: the "SYMFONIE" study.

OBJECTIVE: The SYMFONIE study was designed to analyze the clinical and biological characteristics, and the cardiovascular risk markers, in men and women with the metabolic syndrome compared to control subjects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The study population included 101,697 men and women, 18 to 80 years of age, who had a health checkup at the Centre d'Investigations Preventives et Cliniques (Paris, France) between 1997 to 2002. The metabolic syndrome was defined according to the ATpiiI-NCEP 2001 criteria. RESULTS: Out of the 66,202 men (47.4+/-11.8 years) and 35,495 women (48.5+/-13.6 years) included in this population, 6761 men (10.2%) and 2155 women (6.1%) presented the metabolic syndrome. Among subjects < or =40 years of age, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 5.0% in men and 2.2% in women, and rose to 14.1% and 12.0%, respectively, among men and women >70 years of age. After adjustment for age, patients with the metabolic syndrome presented higher pulse pressure (systolic minus diastolic blood pressure), higher heart rate, lower vital respiratory capacity, lower physical activity, an increase in inflammatory status assessed through leukocyte count and dental inflammation, hepatic abnormalities, and increased levels of stress and depression. CONCLUSION: In this large French population, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is lower than in North American and northern European populations. Patients with the metabolic syndrome present several additional hemodynamic, inflammatory and psychological risk markers which could contribute to the poor cardiovascular prognosis of these subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Cardiovascular risk factors in France. Prevalence and association].

The object of this study was to assess the prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors and their association in 61,108 subjects over 15 years of age who volunteered for a systematic medical check-up, free of charge, and performed in a health centre in central France. The risk factors were defined as follows: hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia: medical treatment or value above the upper limits of normal defined by national or international recommendations. obesity and android fat distribution as defined by the principal recommendations. The commonest risk factor was hypercholesterolaemia (60% of men and 64% of women) followed by android obesity. The prevalence of hypertension was greater in men than in women (44 vs 33%). Twenty eight per cent of men and 17% of women admitted to smoking. The percentage of smokers was higher in people under 30. Diabetes was observed in 3% of men and 2% of women. The association of risk factors was observed at an older age in women than in men. The association of 3 risk factors was four times greater in men than in women in the whole population. In conclusion, this study shows that cardiovascular risk factors are very common in persons undergoing a medical check-up and that these factors are often associated at an earlier age in men than in women.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed2002

[Combination of low-dose perindopril/indapamide versus atenolol in the hypertensive patient. Effects on systolic pressure and arterial hemodynamics. REASON Study].

In hypertension, consideration of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse pressure (PP) is now well recognized from epidemiological and therapeutical points of view, after numerous years of interest in only diastolic blood pressure. SBP, and also PP, are tightly linked to mechanical properties of large arteries. It is now possible to investigate precisely, with very good repeatability, these mechanic properties. The REASON study is an international multicenter randomised, controlled, parallel-groups study in essential hypertensives. The very low dose perindopril/indapamide combination (Per/Ind: 2 mg/0.625 mg) was compared with atenolol (50 mg) for a 12-month active treatment period in terms of blood pressure reduction efficiency and change in large artery hemodynamics to attempt to relate changes in pressure and changes in arterial mechanics. 471 patients suffering from hypertension were included, 406 benefitted from the treatment for one year (per-protocol analysis) and 96 benefitted from arterial investigations (pulse wave velocity and aortic wave reflection with applanation tonometry). Changes in brachial and central SBP and PP were higher with Per/ind than with atenolol. The reduction in pulse wave velocity was similar with both drugs, but aortic wave reflections were more reduced with Per/Ind than with atenolol. The very low dose perindopril/indapamide decreases SBP and PP to a larger extent than does a betablocker after a 12-month treatment. Changes in arterial mechanics, non invasively measured, were the same (pulse wave velocity) or in favour of Per/Ind vs atenolol (higher reduction in aortic wave reflection, with higher reductions in central systolic and pulse pressures).

Atenolol↗
PubMed2001

Impact of aortic stiffness attenuation on survival of patients in end-stage renal failure.

BACKGROUND: Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a predictor of mortality in patients with end-stage renal failure (ESRF). The PWV is partly dependent on blood pressure (BP), and a decrease in BP can attenuate the stiffness. Whether the changes in PWV in response to decreases in BP can predict mortality in ESRF patients has never been investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred fifty ESRF patients (aged 52+/-16 years) were monitored for 51+/-38 months. From entry until the end of follow-up, the changes of PWV in response to decreased BP were measured ultrasonographically. BP was controlled by adjustment of "dry weight" and, when necessary, with ACE inhibitors, calcium antagonists, and/or beta-blockers, in combination if necessary. Fifty-nine deaths occurred, including 40 cardiovascular and 19 noncardiovascular events. Cox analyses demonstrated that independent of BP changes, the predictors of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were as follows: absence of PWV decrease in response to BP decrease, increased left ventricular mass, age, and preexisting cardiovascular disease. Survival was positively associated with ACE inhibitor use. After adjustment for all confounding factors, the risk ratio for the absence of PWV decrease was 2.59 (95% CI 1.51 to 4.43) for all-cause mortality and 2.35 (95% CI 1.23 to 4.41) for cardiovascular mortality. The risk ratio for ACE inhibitor use was 0.19 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.43) for all-cause mortality and 0.18 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.55) for cardiovascular mortality. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that in ESRF patients, the insensitivity of PWV to decreased BP is an independent predictor of mortality and that use of ACE inhibitors has a favorable effect on survival that is independent of BP changes.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed2001

Creatinine clearance, pulse wave velocity, carotid compliance and essential hypertension.

BACKGROUND: The vascular hallmark of subjects with end-stage renal disease is increased arterial stiffness independent of blood pressure, wall stress, and cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, plasma glucose and cholesterol, obesity, and tobacco consumption. Whether arterial stiffness and kidney function are statistically associated in subjects with plasma creatinine < or =130 micromol/L has not yet been determined. Material. In 1290 subjects with normal or elevated blood pressure values and plasma creatinine < or =130 micromol/L, subjects were divided into three tertiles according to the calculated creatinine clearance. Blood pressure, aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV), and standard cardiovascular risk factors were determined in parallel. In 112 of the hypertensive subjects, common carotid and radial artery structure and function (high-resolution echo-Doppler techniques) also were measured. RESULTS: From the 1290 subjects, only the low-tertile group presented a significant negative association between PWV and creatinine clearance independently of blood pressure and standard risk factors. This association was stronger in subjects < or =55 years of age. In the 112 hypertensive subjects, carotid compliance was positively correlated to creatinine clearance even after an adjustment for age, gender, and blood pressure. At less than 55 years of age, creatinine clearance represented 20% of the variance of carotid compliance. Such findings were not observed for radial artery compliance. CONCLUSION: Increased stiffness of central arteries is statistically associated with reduced creatinine clearance in subjects with mild-to-moderate renal insufficiency, indicating that kidney alterations may interact not only with small but also large arteries, and this is independent of age, blood pressure, and standard risk factors.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Pulse wave velocity as endpoint in large-scale intervention trial. The Complior study. Scientific, Quality Control, Coordination and Investigation Committees of the Complior Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ability of an antihypertensive therapy to improve arterial stiffness as assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) in a large population of hypertensive patients. SETTING: Sixty-nine healthcare centres, private and institutional (19 countries). PATIENTS: Subjects aged 18-79 years, with essential hypertension. A total of 2,187 patients were enrolled; 1,703 (52% male) completed the study: mean age = 50 +/- 12 years; mean baseline systolic/diastolic blood pressure (S/D BP) = 158 +/- 15/98 +/- 7 mmHg; mean baseline carotid-femoral PWV = 11.6 +/- 2.4 m/s. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were treated for 6 months, starting with perindopril (angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor) 4 mg once daily (OD), increased to 8 mg OD, and combined to diuretic (indapamide 2.5 mg OD) if BP was uncontrolled (> 140/90 mmHg). RESULTS: It was feasible to measure carotid-femoral PWV using the automatic device Complior at inclusion, 2 and 6 months, along with conventional BP assessments in a population of 1,703 patients. Significant decreases (P < 0.001) in BP (systolic: -23.7 +/- 16.8, diastolic: -14.6 +/- 10 mmHg), and carotid-femoral PWV (-1.1 +/- 1.4 m/s) were obtained at 2 and 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: The Complior Study is the first study to show the feasibility of a large-scale intervention trial using PWV as the endpoint in hypertensive patients. Adequate results may be obtained using an automatic device and rigorous criteria for assessment. A long-term controlled intervention study is needed to confirm the results of the present uncontrolled trial.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

High blood pressure and associated cardiovascular risk factors in France.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate, with respect to age and gender, the prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) in treated and non-treated subjects and its association with other cardiovascular risk factors. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Healthcare centres in the centre of France. PARTICIPANTS: All subjects (n = 61,108) who had a free health check-up, between February 1995 and September 1996. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: High BP (systolic blood pressure (SBP) > 140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) > 90 mmHg or antihypertensive therapy); diabetes (fasting glucose plasma concentration > 1.26 g/l or antidiabetic therapy); hypercholesterolaemia (total cholesterol > 2 g/l or lipid-lowering therapy); hypertriglyceridaemia (fasting triglycerides plasma concentration > 2 g/l or triglyceridaemia-lowering therapy); overweight (body mass index >or= 25 kg/m2); abdominal fat distribution (waist to hip ratio > 0.9 in males and > 0.8 in females). RESULTS: Prevalence of high BP was 37.7% in males and 22.2% in females. BP was normalized in 29.7% of treated males and 44.1% of treated females. High BP was associated with at least another cardiovascular risk factor in 83.8% of the males and 76.7% of the females with high BP. Hypercholesterolaemia was the most frequently associated risk factor. Except smoking, the prevalence of each cardiovascular risk factor was shown to increase with the severity of hypertension. Two or more other cardiovascular risk factors were present in 22.9% of the males and 9.8% of the females with high BP. CONCLUSIONS: Rate of high BP, even in treated subjects, is high. More than three out of four subjects with high BP have at least one other cardiovascular risk factor.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Arterial wave reflections and survival in end-stage renal failure.

The increased effect of arterial wave reflections on central arteries like the common carotid artery seen in end-stage renal failure (ESRF) patients favors myocardial hypertrophy and oxygen consumption and alters coronary blood flow distribution. Nevertheless, the impact of wave reflection on the outcome and end points such as mortality remains to be demonstrated. One hundred eighty ESRF patients (age, 54+/-16 years) were monitored for 52+/-36 months (mean+/-SD). Seventy deaths, including 40 cardiovascular (CV) and 30 non-CV events, occurred. At entry, patients, in addition to standard clinical and biochemical analyses, underwent aortic pulse wave velocity measurement and determination of arterial wave reflexion by applanation tonometry on the common carotid artery that was expressed as augmentation index. Cox analyses demonstrated that predictors of all-cause and CV mortality were age, aortic pulse wave velocity, low diastolic blood pressure, preexisting CV disease, and increased augmentation index, whereas the prescription of an ACE inhibitor had a favorable effect on survival. After adjustment for all confounding factors, the risk ratio for each 10% increase in augmentation index was 1.51 (95% confidence interval, 1.23 to 1.86; P<0.0001) for all-cause mortality and 1.48 (95% confidence interval, 1.16 to 1.90; P<0.0001) for CV mortality. These results provide the first direct evidence that in ESRF patients increased effect of arterial wave reflections is an independent predictor of all-cause and CV mortality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Arterial calcifications, arterial stiffness, and cardiovascular risk in end-stage renal disease.

To test the predictive values of and independent contributions to cardiovascular and all-cause mortality of various arterial parameters exploring characteristics of the arterial wall at different sites, we studied prospectively 110 stable end-stage renal disease patients on hemodialysis. These parameters involved carotid diameter, carotid intima-media thickness, carotid compliance, carotid distensibility, carotid incremental elastic modulus, aortic diameter, aortic pulse wave velocity, and the presence of arterial calcifications measured at the sites of the carotid artery, abdominal aorta, iliofemoral axis, and legs. The presence of calcifications was analyzed semiquantitatively as a score (0 to 4) according to the number of arterial sites with calcifications. During a follow-up of 53+/-21 months (mean+/-SD), 25 cardiovascular and 14 noncardiovascular deaths occurred. In univariate analysis, the carotid incremental elastic modulus was the most closely related to prognosis. Risk of death increased with the number of vascular sites involved by calcifications. Moreover, information (in terms of prediction) given by carotid elastic incremental modulus was additive to the presence and extent of vascular calcification-related prediction value. Adjusted hazard ratios of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality for an increase of 1 unit in calcification score were 1.9 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4 to 2.6) and 2.6 (95% CI, 1.5 to 4.4), respectively (P<0.001 for both). Adjusted hazard ratios of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality for a 1-SD increase in carotid incremental elastic modulus were 1.6 (95% CI, 1.2 to 2.2) and 1.7 (95% CI, 1.2 to 2.4), respectively (P<0.01 for both). The results of this study showed that the presence and extent of vascular calcifications were strong predictors of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Carotid incremental elastic modulus gave additional predictive value.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Differences between management guidelines and global health strategies for arterial hypertension with metabolic disorders in France in 1999. Ohara study].

Taking into account all the risk factors and blood pressure levels, as indicated by several American and European recommendations available since 1997, is a leading strategy to reduce mortality and morbidity of hypertensive patients. The aim of this study was to quantify how, in 1999. French practitioners applied recommendations on hypertension (HTN), diabetes and hypercholesterolemia in recently diagnosed hypertensive patients and to evaluate whether or not the recommended targets were met. 1639 French GPs and cardiologists included 5831 recently diagnosed (7.5 +/- 3.6 months) hypertensives (57 +/- 12 years of age, M/F = 55/45%). Initial BP was 173 +/- 15/99 +/- 9 mmHg. 56% had no concomitant disease, 36% had either diabetes, dyslipidemia or coronary heart disease, 8% had at least two concomitant diseases. At the time of the study corresponding to 6.3 +/- 3.8 months after initiation of diet and/or medical treatment, their BP was 148 +/- 17/86 +/- 11 mmHg (-25/-19 mmHg). At that time only 37% of patients with stage 2 HTN were encouraged to adopt lifestyle modifications without any medical treatment as recommended by the JNC VI. Among these hypertensives, measurement of plasma cholesterol was performed in only 61%, HDL-C/LDL-C in 26% and blood glucose in 51%. In the patients with dyslipidemia, LDL-C was measured in only 47%. In the 677 diabetic patients only 27% had a glycated hemoglobin measurement. The percentage of patients reaching target BP was 59% as regard DBP < 90 mmHg, 25% as regard SBP < 140 mmHg, and 23% reached both target values of BP. In addition, 30% of patients with dyslipidemia reached the target LDL-C as defined by French recommendations (ANAES 1996) and 30% of the diabetic patients reached the target value for glycemia recommended by ADA (1997). In 1999 in France, a minority of patients reaches the national or international recommended target values for blood pressure, glycemia and plasma LDL-cholesterol. In spite of that, French practitioners do not implement all the available diagnostic tools to improve the treatment of metabolic disorders in hypertensive patients. As a conclusion, to improve the prognosis of hypertensive patients, it is mandatory to raise the awareness of physicians about multiple risk factor management and help them implement the recommendations in their daily practice.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

[Cardiac anomalies in chronic renal failure].

PRINCIPAL CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS IN END STAGE RENAL DISEASE: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in end stage renal disease patients. Very often, complications observed are left ventricular hypertrophy and various forms of arterial degenerative lesions involving coronary arteries, less frequently pericarditis and calcifying valvulopathy are diagnosed. THE REASONS ARE COMPLEX: Risk factors can be either specific of uremia per se such as anemia, overhydration, fistula or the same as in the general population. Hemodynamic alterations including tensile stress or blood flow play a major role associated to various locally or generally generated substances whose role remains currently to be determined. THEIR TREATMENTS: Treatments of cardiovascular complications are not specific in this end stage renal disease population but are more often the treatment of the etiology: reduction of fistula blood flow, increase of hemoglobin, best control of weight gain between two hemodialysis sessions or blood pressure control.

Anemia↗
PubMed2000

Postischemic vasodilation, endothelial activation, and cardiovascular remodeling in end-stage renal disease.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular complications are the major cause of death in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. These complications are associated with concomitant cardiac and vascular remodeling, including left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and hypertrophy of arterial walls. The endothelium influences the process of arterial remodeling. ESRD patients are characterized by the development of both cardiovascular remodeling and endothelial dysfunction. METHODS: Common carotid artery (CCA) intima-media thickness (IMT), CCA diameter, CCA distensibility, LV mass, and function were determined in 60 stable ESRD patients on hemodialysis and 34 age-, sex-, and blood pressure (BP)-matched controls, and their relationships with endothelial alterations were estimated by forearm postischemic vasodilation [flow debt repayment (FDR)] measured by venous plethysmography. We also evaluated the relationships between FDR and several cardiovascular risk factors or markers of inflammatory response or endothelial activation, for example, duration of dialysis, BP, smoking habits, cholesterol, parathormone (PTH), serum albumin, plasma fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), plasma homocysteine, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), and von Willebrand factor (vWF). RESULTS: ESRD patients had increased LV mass, CCA diameter and CCA IMT, and had decreased CCA distensibility (P < 0.05). While the postischemic peak flow was comparable in controls and ESRD patients (29.2 +/- 9.1 vs. 27.9 +/- 0.2 mL/100 mL/min), FDR was lower in ESRD patients (116 +/- 31 vs. 88 +/- 32%, P < 0.001) because of the shorter duration of vasodilation (127 +/- 36 vs. 96 +/- 32 s, P < 0.001). The time to complete FDR was longer in ESRD patients (110 +/- 54 vs. 162 +/- 72 s, P < 0.001). ESRD patients had lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and serum albumin (P < 0.01) and higher triglycerides, fibrinogen, plasma homocysteine, vWF (P < 0.01), and PAI-1 (P < 0.05). For ESRD patients, significant negative age- and pressure-independent correlations were established between FDR and CCA diameter, duration of dialysis, and PAI-1. FDR was positively correlated with serum albumin. FDR and time to FDR were negatively correlated with CCA IMT and LV mass. CCA distensibility was positively associated with FDR (P < 0.001) and negatively with time to FDR (P < 0.001). The PAI-1 concentration was positively correlated with CCA IMT (P < 0.01) and negatively with CCA distensibility (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data provide the first evidence that cardiac and arterial remodeling in ESRD patients are inversely related to forearm reactive hyperemia. The diminished hyperemic response is due to the shorter duration of hyperemia and is associated with higher concentrations of serum markers of endothelial activation, suggesting that, in ESRD patients, endothelial dysfunction may be a factor influencing cardiovascular changes.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Pathophysiology of anaemia: focus on the heart and blood vessels.

The amount of oxygen delivered to an organ depends on three factors: blood flow and its distribution; the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, i.e. haemoglobin concentration; and oxygen extraction. Non-haemodynamic and haemodynamic mechanisms operate to compensate for anaemia. Non-haemodynamic mechanisms include increased erythropoietin production to stimulate erythropoiesis, and increased oxygen extraction (displacement of the haemoglobin oxygen dissociation curve). This decreased affinity of oxygen for haemoglobin is mediated by increased 2,3-diphosphoglycerate concentrations. Increased cardiac output is the main haemodynamic factor, mediated by lower afterload, increased preload, and positive inotropic and chronotropic effects. Decreased afterload is due to vasodilatation and reduced vascular resistance as a consequence of lower blood viscosity, hypoxia-induced vasodilatation, and enhanced nitric oxide activity. Vasodilatation also involves recruitment of microvessels and, in the case of chronic anaemia, stimulation of angiogenesis. With decreased afterload, the venous return (preload) and left ventricular (LV) filling increase, leading to increased LV end-diastolic volume and maintenance of a high stroke volume and high stroke work. High stroke work is also due to enhanced LV contractility attributed to increased concentrations of catecholamines and non-catecholamine inotropic factors. In addition, heart rate is increased in anaemia, due to hypoxia-stimulated chemoreceptors and increased sympathetic activity. In the long term, these haemodynamic alterations lead to gradual development of cardiac enlargement and LV hypertrophy (LVH). The LVH is eccentric, characterized by increased LV internal dimensions and a normal ratio of wall thickness to cavity diameter, as occurs in other forms of volume overload. When anaemia-related LVH develops in an otherwise 'healthy' humoral environment, the lesions are reversible and the type of LVH is primarily physiological and is not associated with impaired diastolic function. In the absence of underlying cardiovascular disorders, severe anaemia (Haemoglobin concentration < 4-5 g/dl) leads to congestive heart failure. In the presence of heart disease, especially coronary artery disease, anaemia intensifies angina and contributes to a high incidence of cardiovascular complications. In end-stage renal disease (ESRD), LVH is influenced by many other factors, leading to intense interstitial fibrosis, to alterations in diastolic function, and usually to poor reversibility. The chronic increase in cardiac output contributes to arterial remodelling of central elastic arteries such as the aorta and common carotid artery. This remodelling consists principally of arterial enlargement and compensatory arterial intima--media thickening. In ESRD, these geometric changes are accompanied by arterial stiffening. The principal consequences of arterial alterations are increased systolic pressure and high inertia due to higher blood mass in the dilated arterial system. These alterations contribute to the development of LVH and abnormal coronary perfusion.

Anemia↗
PubMed2000

[Hypertension and obesity].

Hypertension is often associated with corpulence, an increased total and abdominal fatty mass. The fact of being corpulent exposes to the risk of error of measurement of the blood pressure which may be overestimated by 10 to 16 mmHg and lead to the unnecessary prescription of antihypertensive drugs. In order to analyse the nature of the corpulence, it is useful to define the condition as an increase in fatty and/or lean body mass. It is also useful to quantify the distribution of body fat. Hypertensive patients of increased corpulence, obese (BMI > 30) with an abdominal distribution of adipose tissue, have an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity-mortality, especially from coronary artery disease: their cardiovascular risk factors consist not only of hypertension and corpulence, but also of metabolic abnormalities and the haemodynamic consequences of corpulence, that is to say diabetes, hypertriglyceridaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, left ventricular hypertrophy and increased glomerular filtration. In hypertension with increased corpulence, the nutritional objective is to decrease the corpulence, decrease the fatty mass without reducing the lean mass. Therefore, it is important to proceed by a progressive, even small, loss of weight with a realistic target because loss of weight is beneficial for the hypertension and its complications (cardiovascular and renal), all other risk factors and for cardiovascular mortality.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1999

Impact of aortic stiffness on survival in end-stage renal disease.

BACKGROUND: Damage to large arteries is a major factor in the high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Increased arterial stiffness and intima-media thickness, together with increased pulse pressure, are the principal arterial alterations. Whether increased aortic pulse-wave velocity (PWV), a classic marker of increased arterial stiffness, may predict all-cause and/or cardiovascular mortality has never been investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cohort of 241 patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis was studied between April 1987 and April 1998. The mean duration of follow-up was 72+/-41 months (mean+/-SD). Mean age at entry was 51.5+/-16.3 years. Seventy-three deaths occurred, including 48 cardiovascular and 25 noncardiovascular fatal events. At entry, together with standard clinical and biochemical analyses, patients underwent echocardiography and aortic PWV measured by Doppler ultrasonography. On the basis of Cox analyses, 2 factors emerged as predictors of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: age and aortic PWV. Hemoglobin and low diastolic pressure interfered to a smaller extent. After adjustment for all the confounding factors, an OR for PWV >12. 0 versus <9.4 m/s was 5.4 (95% CI, 2.4 to 11.9) for all-cause mortality and 5.9 (95% CI, 2.3 to 15.5) for cardiovascular mortality. For each PWV increase of 1 m/s in our study population, all-cause mortality-adjusted OR was 1.39 (95% CI, 1.19 to 1.62). CONCLUSIONS: These results provide the first direct evidence that in patients with ESRD, increased aortic stiffness determined by measurement of aortic PWV is a strong independent predictor of all-cause and mainly cardiovascular mortality.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Influence of body height on pulsatile arterial hemodynamic data.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to present evidence that short stature is a hemodynamic liability, which could explain in part the inverse relation between body height and cardiovascular risk. BACKGROUND: Other explanations for the association of short stature with increased cardiovascular risk include advancing age, reduced pulmonary function, genetic factors, poor childhood nutrition and small-caliber coronary arteries. This study adds another factor-the physiologic effects of reduced body height on the arterial tree, which increase left ventricular work and jeopardize myocardial perfusion. METHODS: Four hundred two subjects were studied: 149 with end-stage renal disease and 253 with normal renal function. Measurements included blood pressure, body height, cardiac cycle length, carotid to femoral artery pulse wave velocity, carotid artery pulse waves (by applanation tonometry) and the arrival time of reflected waves. Calculations included the carotid augmentation index, carotid artery compliance and the diastolic to systolic pressure-time ratio (an index of myocardial supply and demand). RESULTS: On linear and stepwise multiple regression, body height correlated with all variables except mean blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: The early systolic arrival of reflected waves in short people in this group acts to stiffen the aorta and increase the pulsatile effort of the left ventricle, even at the same mean blood pressures. Short stature also induces a faster heart rate, which increases cardiac minute work and shorten diastole. Stiffening lowers the aortic diastolic pressure and, coupled with a shortened diastole, could adversely influence myocardial supply. Although indirect, this evidence supports a physiologic hypothesis for the body height-cardiovascular risk association.

Adolescent↗