scholarly journals Effect of Acupuncture on Artery Elasticity for Atherosclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Author(s):  
Wenbin Fu ◽  
Lin Zhao ◽  
Jian-xing Zhang ◽  
Si-ting Ye ◽  
Ling-cui Meng ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic arterial disease. Atherosclerosis related diseases, like myocardial infarctions (MI) and strokes have the highest mortality and disability rate. However, limited evidence verified the effects of acupuncture on arterial stiffness for subclinical atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that acupuncture could improve arterial stiffness in subclinical atherosclerosis and resist plaque progression. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of acupuncture on arterial elasticity via ultrafast pulse wave velocity (ufPWV) and explore the effect of acupuncture on lipid level and platelet function for subclinical atherosclerosis patients.MethodsThis was a randomized parallel controlled trial included 44 patients. Patients were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to acupuncture group and sham acupuncture group. Patients completed 24 treatments in total within 12 weeks of intervention. The primary outcome was ultrafast pulse wave velocity (ufPWV) assessed after every 4-weeks treatment; the secondary outcomes were carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), blood lipid levels, fibrinogen (FIB) and blood platelet. Intention-to-treat (ITT) principle was applied and data sets were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 software.ResultsAmong the 44 randomly assigned patients, changes of right-side BS value in TA group (0.841) at week 12 were greater than SA group (-0.189), with a mean difference of 1.030 (95% CI, 0.320, 1.739; P=0.006). Similar results were observed in right-side ES, left-side BS, left-side ES at week 12. As to secondary outcomes, compared with SA group(1.08mm), the TA group(0.98mm) showed a significant decline in mean of left-side IMT at week 12. (Z= -2.118; P=0.034). There were no serious adverse events.ConclusionsAmong patients with Carotid intima-media thickening, both-side carotids arterial elasticity is significantly improved after 12-week acupuncture compared with sham acupuncture. The effects of acupuncture are more noticeable at week 12 during end-systole.Trial registrationThe trial was registered at http://www.chictr.org.cn (NO. ChiCTR1900025551, 31/08/2019)

1952 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-129
Author(s):  
J. P. Adamson ◽  
J. Doupe

Intra-arterial pressures and pulse wave velocities were measured in 18 subjects whose auscultatory diastolic pressures ranged from 45 to 120 mm. Hg. Various methods were used to lower the blood pressure in the hypertensive and to raise it in nonhypertensive subjects so that pulse wave velocities might be compared in all subjects at a common diastolic pressure. The pulse wave velocities were calculated for a diastolic pressure of 80 mm. Hg. No significant differences were found between hypertensive and nonhypertensive subjects. It was concluded that a defect of arterial elasticity as gauged by pulse wave velocity is not a factor in the pathogenesis of hypertension.


Angiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 000331972110211
Author(s):  
Buyun Jia ◽  
Chongfei Jiang ◽  
Yun Song ◽  
Chenfangyuan Duan ◽  
Lishun Liu ◽  
...  

Increased arterial stiffness is highly prevalent in patients with hypertension and is associated with cardiovascular (CV) risk. Increased white blood cell (WBC) counts may also be an independent risk factor for arterial stiffness and CV events. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between differential WBC counts and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in hypertensive adults. A total of 14 390 participants were included in the final analysis. A multivariate linear regression model was applied for the correlation analysis of WBC count and baPWV. Higher WBC counts were associated with a greater baPWV: adjusted β = 10 (95% CI, 8-13, P < .001). The same significant association was also found when WBC count was assessed as categories or quartiles. In addition, the effect of differential WBC subtypes, including neutrophil count and lymphocyte count on baPWV, showed the similar results. These findings showed that baPWV has positive associations with differential WBC counts in hypertensive adults.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji-Hee Haam ◽  
Young-Sang Kim ◽  
Doo-Yeoun Cho ◽  
Hyejin Chun ◽  
Sang-Woon Choi ◽  
...  

AbstractRecent evidence suggests that cellular perturbations play an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, we analyzed the association between the levels of urinary metabolites and arterial stiffness. Our cross-sectional study included 330 Korean men and women. The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was measured as a marker of arterial stiffness. Urinary metabolites were evaluated using a high-performance liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer. The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was found to be positively correlated with l-lactate, citrate, isocitrate, succinate, malate, hydroxymethylglutarate, α-ketoisovalerate, α-keto-β-methylvalerate, methylmalonate, and formiminoglutamate among men. Whereas, among women, the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was positively correlated with cis-aconitate, isocitrate, hydroxymethylglutarate, and formiminoglutamate. In the multivariable regression models adjusted for conventional cardiovascular risk factors, three metabolite concentrations (urine isocitrate, hydroxymethylglutarate, and formiminoglutamate) were independently and positively associated with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity. Increased urine isocitrate, hydroxymethylglutarate, and formiminoglutamate concentrations were associated with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and independent of conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Our findings suggest that metabolic disturbances in cells may be related to arterial stiffness.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. e038933
Author(s):  
Rita Salvado ◽  
Sandra Santos-Minguez ◽  
Cristina Agudo-Conde ◽  
Cristina Lugones-Sanchez ◽  
Angela Cabo-Laso ◽  
...  

IntroductionIntestinal microbiota is arising as a new element in the physiopathology of cardiovascular diseases. A healthy microbiota includes a balanced representation of bacteria with health promotion functions (symbiotes). The aim of this study is to analyse the relationship between intestinal microbiota composition and arterial stiffness.Methods and analysisAn observational case—control study will be developed. Cases will be defined by the presence of at least one of the following: carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI), brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (ba or ba-PWV) above the 90th percentile, for age and sex, of the reference population. Controls will be selected from the same population as cases. The study will be developed in Primary Healthcare Centres. We will select 500 subjects (250 cases and 250 controls), between 45 and 74 years of age. Cases will be selected from a database that combines data from EVA study (Spain) and Guimarães/Vizela study (Portugal). Measurements: cf-PWV will be measured using the SphygmoCor system, CAVI, ba-PWV and Ankle-Brachial Index will be determined using VaSera device. Gut microbiome composition in faecal samples will be determined by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. Lifestyle will be assessed by food frequency questionnaire, adherence to the Mediterranean diet and IPAQ (International Physical Activity Questionnaire). Body composition will be evaluated by bioimpedance.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by ‘Committee of ethics of research with medicines of the health area of Salamanca’ on 14 December 2018 (cod. 2018-11-136) and the ’Ethics committee for health of Guimaraes’ (Portugal) on 15 October 2019 (ref: 67/2019). All study participants will sign an informed consent form agreeing to participate in the study, in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki and the WHO standards for observational studies. The results of this study will allow a better description of gut microbiota in patients with arterial stiffness.Trial registration detailsClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT03900338


Circulation ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 113 (5) ◽  
pp. 664-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tine Willum Hansen ◽  
Jan A. Staessen ◽  
Christian Torp-Pedersen ◽  
Susanne Rasmussen ◽  
Lutgarde Thijs ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Megha Murali ◽  
Carla Taylor ◽  
Peter Zahradka ◽  
Jeffrey Wigle

Background and Objective: Arterial stiffness is recognized as being an independent predictor of incipient vascular disease associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. In obese subjects, the decrease in the plasma level of adiponectin, an anti-diabetic and anti-atherogenic adipokine, is well known. Hence the aim of our study was to examine the effect of loss of adiponectin on the development of arterial stiffness in response to a high fat diet. Methods and Results: Male 8-week old adiponectin knockout (APN KO) and C57BL/6 (control) mice were fed a high fat diet (60% Calories from fat) for 12 weeks to induce obesity and insulin resistance (n=10/group). APN KO and C57BL/6 mice were fed a low fat diet (10% Calories from fat) and used as lean controls (n=10/group). After 12 weeks on the high fat diet, the APN KO mice weighed significantly more than the C57BL/6 mice (45.1±1.3 g vs 40.1±1.1 g, p=0.0008) but there was no difference in the final weights between genotypes fed the low fat diet. APN KO mice on both high and low fat diets for 12 weeks developed insulin resistance as measured by oral glucose tolerance test (Area under curve (AUC) mmol/L х min = 437±70 and 438±57) as compared to the C57BL/6 mice fed low or high fat diets (AUC mmol/L х min = 251±27 and 245±43). Arterial stiffness was determined by Doppler pulse wave velocity analysis of the femoral artery. Pulse wave velocity was increased in APN KO mice fed a high fat diet relative to those fed the low fat diet (12.56±0.78 cm/s vs 9.47±0.95 cm/s, p=0.0035; n=8-10). Pulse wave velocity was not different between C57BL/6 control mice on the low or high fat diets (10.63±0.73 cm/s and 10.86±0.50 cm/s), thus revealing that only mice deficient in adiponectin developed arterial stiffness in response to high fat diet. Conclusions: Potentiation of the vascular stiffness in diet-induced obese APN KO mice indicates that adiponectin has a role in modulating vascular structure and the APN KO mouse models the vascular changes that occur in human obesity and metabolic disorders. Morphometric analysis of the aortic tissues for vessel thickness and expression of extracellular proteins will further validate the potential role of adiponectin on the maintenance of arterial elasticity in addition to its known effect on eNOS mediated vasoprotection.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Mustafa Dogdus ◽  
Onur Akhan ◽  
Mehmet Ozyasar ◽  
Ahmet Yilmaz ◽  
Mehmet Sait Altintas

Background and Objectives. Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a common pathology of the circulatory system and is associated with a high morbidity for the patients and causes high costs for the healthcare systems. Arterial stiffness has been shown to be a predictor of cardiovascular events and mortality. The relationship between CVI and arterial stiffness using pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (Aix) was evaluated in this study. Methods. Sixty-two patients with the stage of C3-C5 chronic venous disease (CVD) and 48 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. To assess arterial stiffness, all cases were evaluated with I.E.M. Mobil-O-Graph brand ambulatory blood pressure monitor device. PWV and Aix were used to assess arterial stiffness in this study. Results. The mean age was 61.9±11.05 years and 54 % of the patient population was females. PWV and Aix were significantly higher in CVI patients than controls (8.92±1.65 vs. 8.03±1.43, p=0.001; 25.51±8.14 vs. 20.15±9.49, p=0.003, respectively) and also positive linear correlation was observed between CVI and all measured arterial stiffness parameters (r=0.675 for CVI and PWV, r=0.659 for CVI and Aix, respectively). A PWV value of > 9.2 has 88.9 % sensitivity and 71.4 % specificity to predict the presence of CVI. Conclusions. PWV and Aix are the most commonly used, easy, reproducible, reliable methods in the clinic to assess arterial stiffness. Logistic regression analysis showed that PWV and Aix were the independent predictors of CVI. PWV has the sensitivity of 88.9 % and specificity of 71.4 % to detect the presence of CVI.


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