Distinct factors are related to lower limb atherosclerosis in smokers and nonsmokers.

OBJECTIVE: Smoking increases the risk of peripheral artery disease, but the mechanisms are not well established. This study evaluated the association of local circumferential wall tension (CWT), markers of vascular remodeling and stiffness, and traditional risk factors with popliteal and carotid plaques among smokers and nonsmokers. METHODS: Two hundred fifty-two individuals (126 smokers and 126 nonsmokers) underwent clinical, laboratory, and popliteal and carotid ultrasound analysis. Popliteal and carotid CWT measures were calculated in supine and orthostatic positions, and supine position, respectively. RESULTS: Popliteal plaques were more common in smokers than nonsmokers (39 vs. 19%; P < 0.001). Among smokers, popliteal plaques were not related to differences in traditional vascular risk factors. In propensity score-adjusted models, popliteal CWT measures were associated with local plaques in smokers, but not in nonsmokers. Peak orthostatic CWT was the measure showing the most significant association with popliteal plaques (beta ±â€Šstandard error = 0.91 ±â€Š0.28; P = 0.001). Local CWT measures also showed a stronger association with popliteal intima-media thickness among smokers as compared with nonsmokers. By contrast, nonsmokers with popliteal plaques were more likely to have older age, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia, and lower arterial compliance among nonsmokers. Lastly, carotid plaques were not independently related to local CWT among smokers. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that risk factors for peripheral artery disease may differ between smokers and nonsmokers and further suggest that atherosclerosis in lower limb arteries is directly related to local hemodynamic forces among smokers.

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and radiotherapy-induced carotid atherosclerosis in subjects with head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy (RT) is a risk factor for accelerated carotid artery atherosclerotic disease in subjects with head and neck cancer. However, the risk factors of RT-induced carotid artery remodeling are not established. This study aimed to investigate the effects of RT on carotid and popliteal arteries in subjects with head and neck cancer and to evaluate the relationship between baseline clinical and laboratory features and the progression of RT-induced atherosclerosis. FINDINGS: Eleven men (age = 57.9 ± 6.2years) with head and neck cancer who underwent cervical bilateral irradiation were prospectively examined by clinical and laboratory analysis and by carotid and popliteal ultrasound before and after treatment (mean interval between the end of RT and the post-RT assessment = 181 ± 47 days). No studied subject used hypocholesterolemic medications. Significant increases in carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) (0.95 ± 0.08 vs. 0.87 ± 0.05 mm; p < 0.0001) and carotid IMT/diameter ratio (0.138 ± 0.013 vs. 0.129 ± 0.014; p = 0.001) were observed after RT, while no changes in popliteal structural features were detected. In addition, baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels showed a direct correlation with RT-induced carotid IMT change (r = 0.66; p = 0.027), while no other studied variable exhibited a significant relationship with carotid IMT change. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that RT-induced atherosclerosis is limited to the irradiated area and also suggest that it may be predicted by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in subjects with head and neck cancer.

Tensão circunferencial poplítea em posição ortostática se associa à presença local de aterosclerose em pacientes com fatores de risco cardiovascular / Popliteal circumferencial wall tension induced by orthostatic body posture is associated with local atherosclerotic plaques in patients with cardiovascular risk factors

As artérias dos membros inferiores são submetidas a uma maior sobrecarga hemodinâmica na posição ortostática. Este estudo avaliou os efeitos da variação postural sobre a tensão circunferencial na parede das artérias poplíteas, carótidas e braquiais, bem como investigou a correlação entre a tensão circunferencial e a presença de placas ateroscleróticas nestas artérias em uma população com fatores de risco cardiovascular. Duzentos e três indivíduos (118 mulheres e 85 homens) com fatores de risco cardiovascular (tabagismo, hipertensão arterial e diabetes mellitus) foram estudados clínica e laboratorialmente, sendo a pressão arterial mensurada nos braços e panturrilhas, tanto em posição supina como ortostática. As artérias foram avaliadas por ultrassonografia, enquanto a tensão circunferencial foi calculada de acordo com a Lei de Laplace. Nos indivíduos participantes, observou-se a presença de placas ateroscleróticas em 47%, 29% e 0% das artérias poplíteas, carótidas e braquiais, respectivamente. As medidas de tensão circunferencial em artérias carótidas não foram associadas à presença de placas ateroscleróticas após ajuste pelas variáveis confundidoras. Por outro lado, as análises de regressão logística e de modelo linear geral mostraram, após ajuste pelas variáveis confundidoras, que a tensão circunferencial sistólica ortostática foi o único parâmetro hemodinâmico local que demonstrou correlação significativa com placas ateroscleróticas poplíteas em toda amostra estudada. Na análise específica por sexos, apesar da correlação positiva com a presença de placas ateroscleróticas poplíteas em ambos os sexos, a tensão circunferencial sistólica ortostática exibiu associação independente com placas ateroscleróticas somente em mulheres, após ajuste pelas variáveis confundidoras. Em conclusão, a tensão circunferencial ortostática poplítea e não a em posição supina, é associada com placas ateroscleróticas em artérias poplíteas, particularmente em mulheres.

Lower limb arteries are exposed to higher hemodynamic burden in erectile posture. This study evaluated the effects of body posture on popliteal, carotid and brachial circumferential wall tension (CWT) and investigated the relationship between local CWT and atherosclerotic plaques in subjects with cardiovascular risk factors. Two hundred and three subjects (118 women and 85 men) with cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, hypertension or diabetes mellitus) underwent clinical and laboratory analysis and had their blood pressure measured in the arm and calf in supine and orthostatic positions. Arteries were evaluated by ultrasound analysis, while CWT was calculated according to Laplace's law. Among the enrolled participants, 47%, 29% and none presented popliteal, carotid and brachial plaques, respectively. Carotid CWT measurements were not associated with local plaques after adjustment for potential confounders. Conversely, general linear model and logistic regression analyses adjusted for potential confounders demonstrated that peak orthostatic CWT was the only local hemodynamic parameter showing significant relationship with popliteal plaques in the whole sample. In gender-specific analyses, although positively correlated with popliteal plaques in both genders, local peak orthostatic CWT exhibited an independent association with popliteal plaques after adjustment for potential confounders only in women. In conclusion, popliteal CWT measured in orthostatic posture, rather than in supine position, is associated with popliteal atherosclerotic plaques, particularly in women. These findings suggest that orthostatic posture might play a role in the atherogenesis of leg arteries by modifying local hemodynamic forces and that there may be gender differences in this regard.

Leg blood pressure measured in orthostatic posture is associated with left ventricular mass in normotensive subjects.

BACKGROUND: Changing from a supine to an orthostatic posture is associated with substantial increments in leg blood pressure (BP) levels, which could ultimately influence the hemodynamic burden imposed on the heart. This study investigated the relationship between brachial and leg BP measurements and the left cardiac chamber's structure and assessed the role of body posture changes in this regard. METHODS: One hundred and thirty normotensive, nondiabetic, nonsmoking, normolipemic subjects were evaluated by a clinical history, anthropometry, the analysis of metabolic parameters, echocardiography, and the measurement of BP in the arm and the calf in both supine and orthostatic positions. RESULTS: Significant correlation coefficients between the leg BP measurements and the cardiac structure were detected, especially between the orthostatic pulse pressure (PP) and the left ventricular (LV) wall thickness (r = 0.38; P < 0.001), the orthostatic PP and the LV mass (r = 0.37; P < 0.001), and the orthostatic systolic BP (SBP) and the left atrial size (r = 0.35; P < 0.001). Stepwise and standard regression analysis adjusted for brachial BP and anthropometric and metabolic variables confirmed that the leg orthostatic PP was independently related to the LV wall thickness and mass. Moreover, the leg orthostatic SBP was associated with the left atrial dimension even after adding the LV mass to the statistical models. Finally, triglyceride levels and body surface area showed significant relationship with leg orthostatic PP and SBP, whereas brachial orthostatic PP and SBP were only associated with age and anthropometric variables. CONCLUSIONS: Orthostatic leg BP is independently associated with the cardiac structure in normotensive subjects.

Increased popliteal circumferential wall tension induced by orthostatic body posture is associated with local atherosclerotic plaques.

OBJECTIVE: Lower limb arteries are exposed to higher hemodynamic burden in erectile posture. This study evaluated the effects of body posture on popliteal, carotid and brachial circumferential wall tension (CWT) and investigated the relationship between local CWT and atherosclerotic plaques in subjects with cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: Two hundred and three subjects (118 women and 85 men) with cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, hypertension or diabetes mellitus) underwent clinical and laboratory analysis and had their blood pressure measured in the arm and calf in supine and orthostatic positions. Arteries were evaluated by ultrasound analysis, while CWT was calculated according to Laplace's law. RESULTS: Among the enrolled participants, 47%, 29% and none presented popliteal, carotid and brachial plaques, respectively. Carotid CWT measurements were not associated with local plaques after adjustment for potential confounders. Conversely, general linear model and logistic regression analyses adjusted for potential confounders demonstrated that peak orthostatic CWT was the only local hemodynamic parameter showing significant relationship with popliteal plaques in the whole sample. In gender-specific analyses, although positively correlated with popliteal plaques in both genders, local peak orthostatic CWT exhibited an independent association with popliteal plaques after adjustment for potential confounders only in women. CONCLUSION: Popliteal CWT measured in orthostatic posture, rather than in supine position, is associated with popliteal atherosclerotic plaques, particularly in women. These findings suggest that erectile posture might play a role in the atherogenesis of leg arteries by modifying local hemodynamic forces and that there may be gender differences in this regard.

Quality of life, dyspnea and ventricular function in patients with hypertension.

AIM: This paper is a report of an investigation of the relationship between health-related quality of life and left ventricular function among patients with hypertension who did not fulfil the criteria for heart failure. BACKGROUND: Heart failure is a common consequence of hypertension, with Doppler echocardiography being the gold-standard tool to evaluate left ventricular function, mainly hypertension-induced left ventricular damage. Echocardiographic data indicating poorer ventricular function have been related to lower levels of health-related quality of life in patients with systolic and/or diastolic heart failure. However, data are still lacking regarding the correlation between health-related quality of life and left ventricular function and structure in patients with hypertension who do not fulfil the criteria for heart failure. METHOD: Between September 2005 and February 2007, 98 patients with hypertension without systolic or diastolic heart failure were evaluated. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36. Left ventricular function was evaluated through Tissue Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: Statistically significant but weak correlations (varying from r = -0.22 to 0.35) were observed between some of the Short Form-36 domains and echo data. To consider the potential effect of dyspnoea in this relationship, patients were split according to the presence or absence of the symptom. In the subgroup without dyspnoea, similar patterns of correlation were observed (varying from r = 0.26 to 0.32). In the subgroup with dyspnoea, however, more and stronger correlations were observed between echo data and health-related quality of life domains, varying from r = -0.40 to 0.50. CONCLUSION: Nurses should be aware of the relevance of evaluating the functional echocardiographic data of patients who not fulfil heart failure criteria, but who experience dyspnoea in order to implement appropriate action plans.

Postural changes may influence popliteal atherosclerosis by modifying local circumferential wall tension.

Atherosclerosis of peripheral arteries typically affects vessels of the lower limbs, suggesting that local hemodynamic stimuli play a role in this process. Our study evaluated the effects of body postural changes on carotid and popliteal blood pressure, circumferential wall tension (CWT) and arterial strain, and investigated the relationship between such hemodynamic parameters and intima-media thickness (IMT) of these arteries. One hundred seventeen nondiabetic, nonhypertensive, nonsmoker subjects (48 men and 69 women) were enrolled and had their blood pressure measured in the arm and calf in supine and orthostatic positions. Echo-doppler analysis evaluated the common carotid and popliteal arteries after blood pressure measurements, while CWT was calculated according to Laplace's law. The results showed that changing from supine to orthostatic posture increased blood pressure and CWT in popliteal but not in carotid arteries. Partial correlation analysis adjusted for age and body mass index revealed no major relationship between IMT of the studied vessels and local blood pressure or arterial strain. Conversely, supine and orthostatic CWT exhibited comparable correlation coefficients with carotid IMT, while orthostatic CWT displayed a stronger relationship with popliteal IMT than with supine CWT. These results were confirmed by multiple linear regression analysis that included age, sex, body mass index, lipid fractions and glucose as independent variables. Overall, our results indicate that orthostatic CWT is a stronger hemodynamic predictor of popliteal IMT than supine CWT, suggesting that erectile posture may be a potential risk factor for popliteal atherosclerosis because it increases the local hemodynamic burden. (Hypertens Res 2008; 31: 2059-2064).