Does Pulse Wave Velocity Increase Over Time in Hemodialysis Patients?

<b><i>Objectives:</i></b> Arterial stiffness, measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV), is reported to be increased in hemodialysis (HD) patients and increases cardiovascular mortality. Previous studies have reported an association between extracellular water (ECW) and PWV. We wished to review whether PWV increases over time and whether this is associated with ECW. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We reviewed repeat aortic PWV measurements using an oscillograph method along with corresponding ECW measured by multifrequency bioimpedance in HD patients a minimum of 5 years apart. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Twenty-four patients (16 [66.7%] male and 11 [45.8%] diabetic, mean age 61.7 ± 15.2 years) had PWV and ECW initially measured after 46 (26–124) months of HD and then after 112 (97–202) months. Overall, there was no change in PWV or ECW (9.4 ± 2.2 vs. 8.1 ± 2.5 cm/s; 14.7 ± 2.5 vs. 15.2 ± 2.9 L, respectively), whereas the ECW/total body water ratio increased (0.399 ± 0.015 vs. 0.408 ± 0.021, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.05). We found no association between changes in PWV and ECW (<i>r</i> = −0.05, <i>p</i> = 0.84), whereas there was an association with the change in peri-dialytic systolic blood pressure (SBP) (<i>r</i> = 0.59, <i>p</i> = 0.007). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> In our small observational study, there was no overall change in PWV, after 5 years of HD, with PWV increasing in 50% and falling in 50%. Changes in PWV were not associated with changes in ECW but were associated with changes in peri-dialytic SBP. Our study demonstrates that PWV does not increase in all HD patients with time, and interventional studies are required to determine whether targeted blood pressure control reduces PWV in HD patients.