RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Regional aortic compliance studied by magnetic resonance imaging: the effects of age, training, and coronary artery disease.
JF British Heart Journal
JO Heart
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Cardiovascular Society
SP 90
OP 96
DO 10.1136/hrt.62.2.90
VO 62
IS 2
A1 R H Mohiaddin
A1 S R Underwood
A1 H G Bogren
A1 D N Firmin
A1 R H Klipstein
A1 R S Rees
A1 D B Longmore
YR 1989
UL http://heart.bmj.com/content/62/2/90.abstract
AB Arterial compliance was measured in 70 healthy volunteers, 13 athletes, and 17 patients with coronary artery disease. Magnetic resonance images were acquired at end diastole and end systole through the ascending aorta, the aortic arch, and the descending thoracic aorta. Regional compliance was derived from the change in luminal area in a slice of known thickness and from the pulse pressure. Total arterial compliance was also measured from the left ventricular stroke volume and the pulse pressure. In the volunteers, mean (SD) regional compliance (microliters/mm Hg) was greatest in the ascending aorta (37 (18], lower in the arch (31 (15], and lowest in the descending aorta (18 (8], and it decreased with age. Compliance in the athletes was significantly higher than in their age matched controls (41 (16) versus 22 (11) microliters/mm Hg). In the patients with coronary artery disease it was significantly lower (12 (4) v 18 (10] than in age matched controls. Total arterial compliance also fell with age in those with coronary artery disease although there was more variation. The results suggest a possible role for compliance in the assessment of cardiovascular fitness and the detection of coronary artery disease.