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Effects of the left ventricular assist device on the compliance and distensibility of the carotid artery

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Abstract

We investigated the impact of continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) on the carotid elastic properties. Carotid artery parameters (diameter distensibility (DD), cross-sectional distensibility (CSD), diameter compliance (DC), cross-sectional compliance (CSC), and incremental elastic modulus (IEM)) were measured in a cross-sectional study using a standard ultrasound with a 10-MHz linear array probe. Measurements (mean ± SEM) were made in separate groups at various clinical time points: prior to LVAD surgery (baseline; 13 male/3 female; age 48 ± 3 years), 1 week following LVAD placement (acute; 12 male/2 female; age 47 ± 3 years), approximately 24 weeks following LVAD surgery (chronic; 13 male/2 female; age 52 ± 3 years), and in a group of healthy subjects (controls; 9 male/1 female; age 51 ± 4 years). Distensibility properties were lower (P < 0.05) in the acute (DD 2.3 % ± 0.4 %; CSD 4.7 % ± 0.8 %) and chronic (DD 2.2 % ± 0.4 %; CSD 4.5 ± 0.9 %) compared with the baseline (DD 5.9 % ± 0.7 %; CSD 12.2 % ± 1.5 %) and control (DD 5.8 % ± 0.6 %; CSD 11.9 % ± 1.3 %) groups. Compliance properties were lower (P < 0.05) in the chronic (DC 4.4 ± 0.7 mm/mmHg × 10−3; CSC 1.2 ± 0.2 mmHg−1 × 10−3) compared with acute (DC 9.0 ± 1.6 mm/mmHg × 10−3; CSC 2.6 ± 0.4 mmHg−1 × 10−3) and baseline (DC 11.1 ± 1.1 mm/mmHg × 10−3; CSC 3.3 ± 0.4 mmHg−1 × 10−3) groups. The compliance properties in the control (DC 8.3 ± 0.8 mm/mmHg × 10−3; CSC 2.4 ± 0.2 mmHg−1 × 10−3) group were not different from any of the patient groups. The IEM was higher (P < 0.05) in the chronic (6908 ± 1269 mmHg) compared with acute (2739 ± 412 mmHg), baseline (1849 ± 177 mmHg), and control (2349 ± 241 mmHg) groups. Chronic continuous-flow LVAD support is associated with lower carotid artery compliance and distensibility, which may place further strain on the left ventricle.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA

    Danielle L. Templeton & Donald R. Dengel

  2. School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA

    Patricia Painter

  3. Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, USA

    Ranjit John

  4. Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Aaron S. Kelly

  5. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, 55417, USA

    Ranjit John & Donald R. Dengel

  6. University of Colorado at Boulder, 354 UCB, Clare Small 114, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA

    Danielle L. Templeton

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  1. Danielle L. Templeton
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Correspondence to Danielle L. Templeton.

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Templeton, D.L., John, R., Painter, P. et al. Effects of the left ventricular assist device on the compliance and distensibility of the carotid artery. Heart Vessels 28, 377–384 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00380-012-0271-4

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