Diastolic augmentation index improves augmentation index in assessing arterial stiffness

Arterial stiffness is an important risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) events and is increasingly used in clinical practice. Radial augmentation index (AI) is used in assessing arterial stiffness, but is not only dependent on pulse wave velocity (PWV), but also on several other factors like the reflect distance of pulse wave and height. This paper improved radial AI in assessing arterial stiffness by d-value, the subtraction between radial AI and diastolic AI (dAI). Nineteen subjects aged 18 to 80 years (mean±SD, 46±27 years) were enrolled in this study. Carotid-femoral PWV (cf-PWV), radial AI and dAI of each subject were measured. The d-value (r=0.69, P<0.005) shows better linearity with cf-PWV than AI (r=0.62, P<0.01) and dAI (not significant) do. In conclusion, dAI improves AI in assessing arterial stiffness.