High doses of vitamin D reduce arterial stiffness


https://speciality.medicaldialogues.in/high-doses-of-vitamin-d-rapidly-reduce-arterial-stiffness/

Structural and biochemical characteristics of arterial stiffness in patients with atherosclerosis and in healthy subjects.


Arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of vascular morbidity and mortality in patients with atherosclerosis. Angiographic score (ASc) reflects severity of atherosclerosis in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Osteopontin (OPN) and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between arterial stiffness, ASc, serum OPN and oxLDL in patients with symptomatic PAD, and in clinically healthy subjects. We studied 79 men with symptomatic PAD (mean age 64±7 years) and 84 healthy men (mean age 63±8 years). Calculation of the ASc was based on severity and location of atherosclerotic lesions in the arteries of the lower extremities. Aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) was evaluated by applanation tonometry using the Sphygmocor device. Serum OPN and oxLDL levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The aPWV (10±2.4 VS. 8.4±1.7 (m s−1); P<0.001), OPN (75 (62.3–85.8) VS. 54.8 (47.7–67.9) (ng ml−1); P<0.001) and oxLDL (67 (52.5–93.5) VS. 47.5 (37–65.5); P<0.001) were different for the patients and for the controls. In multiple regression models, aPWV was independently determined by ASc, log-OPN, log-oxLDL and estimated glomerular filtration rate in the patients (R2=0.44; P<0.001) and by log-OPN, log-oxLDL, age and heart rate in the controls (R2=0.38; P<0.001). The independent relationship of a PWV with serum levels of OPN and oxLDL in the patients with PAD and in the controls indicates that OPN and oxLDL might influence arterial stiffening in patients with atherosclerosis and in clinically healthy subjects.

Source: Hypertension Research/nature.

24-h ambulatory recording of aortic pulse wave velocity and central systolic augmentation: a feasibility study.


We assessed the feasibility of ambulatory pulse wave analysis by comparing this approach with an established tonometric technique. We investigated 35 volunteers (45.6 years; 51.0% women) exclusively at rest (R study) and 83 volunteers (49.9 years; 61.4% women) at rest and during daytime (1000–2000 h) ambulatory monitoring (R+A study). We recorded central systolic (cSP), diastolic (cDP) and pulse (cPP) pressures, augmentation index (cAI) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) by brachial oscillometry (Mobil-O-Graph 24h PWA Monitor) and radial tonometry (SphygmoCor). We applied the Bland and Altman’s statistics. In the R study, tonometric and oscillometric estimates of cSP (105.6 vs. 106.9 mm Hg), cDP (74.6 vs. 74.7 mm Hg), cPP (31.0 vs. 32.1 mm Hg), cAI (21.1 vs. 20.6%) and PWV (7.3 vs. 7.0 m s−1) were similar (P0.11). In the R+A study, tonometric vs. oscillometric assessment yielded similar values for cSP (115.4 vs. 113.9 mm Hg; P=0.19) and cAI (26.5 vs. 25.3%; P=0.54), but lower cDP (77.8 vs. 81.9 mm Hg; P<0.0001), so that cPP was higher (37.6 vs. 32.1 mm Hg; P<0.0001). PWV (7.9 vs. 7.4 m s−1) was higher (P=0.0002) on tonometric assessment. The differences between tonometric and oscillometric estimates increased (P0.004) with cSP (r=0.37), cAI (r=0.39) and PWV (r=0.39), but not (P0.17) with cDP (r=0.15) or cPP (r=0.13). Irrespective of measurement conditions, brachial oscillometry compared with an established tonometric method provided similar estimates for cSP and systolic augmentation, but slightly underestimated PWV. Pending further validation, ambulatory assessment of central hemodynamic variables is feasible.

Source: Hypertension Research/nature.