Arterial distensibility in Wegener's granulomatosis: a carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity study. |
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Authors: | Mustafa Yildiz Mehmet Soy Turhan Kürüm Banu Sahin Yildiz |
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Institution: | Sakarya University School of Health, Sakarya, and Department of Internal Medicine, Dr Lütfi Kirdar Kartal Educational and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. mustafayilldiz@yahoo.com |
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Abstract: | OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis; that chronic inflammation may impair vascular function and lead to an increase of arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV) in patients with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). METHODS: We recruited 5 patients with WG and 5 healthy age and sex matched controls in this cross-sectional case-controlled study. Aortic PWV was determined by using an automatic device (Complior Colson, France), which allowed on-line pulse wave recording and automatic calculation of PWV. RESULTS: The carotid-femoral (aortic) PWV was increased in patients with WG as compared with control group (p=0.04). Although we found positive correlation between PWV and heart rate (r=0.75, p=0.01), we did not find any significant correlation between PWV and anthropometric and other hemodynamic parameters (p>0.05). In addition, we found positive correlation between PWV and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in patients with WG (r=0.90, p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Pulse wave velocity is increased and arterial distensibility decreased in patients with WG. Measurements of carotid-femoral (aortic) PWV may provide an easy and noninvasive technique to identify patients at increased risk of arterial disease. |
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