Relationship Between Augmentation Index and Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Healthy Women and Men

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sex on the correlation between arterial stiffness and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in a healthy population without significant atherosclerosis. METHODS Subjects (n = 446) who had simultaneous echocardiography and arterial stiffness recordings were enrolled. From these subjects, 95 men and 72 age-matched women without atherosclerotic risk factors (hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus) were included in the analysis. We measured brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and carotid augmentation index (AIx) as arterial stiffness parameters. RESULTS Peak early diastolic mitral annular velocity (e′) was significantly correlated with baPWV (men: r = −0.428, P < 0.001; women: r = −0.515, P < 0.001) and carotid AIx (men: r = −0.295, P = 0.004; women: r = −0.558, P < 0.001). The ratio of early diastolic mitral flow velocity to e′ (E/e′) was significantly correlated with both arterial stiffness parameters in women but not men. Multivariable regression analysis revealed carotid AIx (β = −0.257; P = 0.02) was a significant independent predictor of e′ in women but not men. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the correlation between AIx and LV diastolic function is stronger in women than men in a healthy population.