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Aortic Augmentation Index is Dependent on Bodyside in Healthy Young Subjects

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Abstract

Introduction

Aortic augmentation index (AIx) is a commonly used measure to evaluate the arterial stiffness of large elastic arteries. It has been used as an indicator for cardiovascular risk in clinical practice.

Aim

To evaluate the difference in the aortic AIx assessed from the left and the right hand in a group of healthy young adults using SphygmoCor and Arteriograph devices.

Methods

32 subjects were enrolled in this study (27 ± 7 years), 16 male and 16 female volunteers participated. Equally, half of the gender groups were left-handed and another half right-handed.

Results

It was found that the aortic AIx values assessed from the pressure waveforms of the right and the left hand are different and significantly higher in the left hand. Using a SphygmoCor device, the mean difference between the aortic AIx values from the right and the left hand among the whole study group was found − 4.78 ± 4.31% and using an Arteriograph the aortic AIx values were − 3.92 ± 3.90%. Aortic AIx values assessed from the right and the left hand were linearly related to each other for both devices. Moreover, it was found that the values of the aortic.

Conclusions

AIx are independent of the subject’s handedness. It has to be pointed out that subjects who cannot be subjected to assessment of the aortic AIx from one side of the body could have different AIx values estimated from the recorded pressure waveform from the other bodyside.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the study participants for their time and effort.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Technologies, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086, Tallinn, Estonia

    Sandra Einstein, Kristjan Pilt, Merlin Palmar, Kalju Meigas & Margus Viigimaa

Authors
  1. Sandra Einstein
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  2. Kristjan Pilt
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  3. Merlin Palmar
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  4. Kalju Meigas
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  5. Margus Viigimaa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sandra Einstein.

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Funding

The research was funded partly by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research under institutional research financing IUT 19-2 and by Estonian Centre of Excellence in IT (EXCITE) funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Conflict of interest

All other authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This study has been approved by the Tallinn Ethics Committee on Medical Research at the National Institute for Health Development, Estonia.

Informed consent

Written informed consent was obtained from each patient.

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Einstein, S., Pilt, K., Palmar, M. et al. Aortic Augmentation Index is Dependent on Bodyside in Healthy Young Subjects. High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev 26, 375–382 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40292-019-00335-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40292-019-00335-3

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