Carotid artery stiffness evaluated early by wave intensity in normal left ventricular function in post-radiotherapy patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Purpose This study aims to assess carotid elasticity early in normal left ventricular function in post-radiotherapy patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) by wave intensity. Methods Sixty-seven post-radiotherapy patients all with normal left ventricular function were classified into group NPC1 and group NPC2 based on their carotid intima-media thickness. Thirty age- and sex-matched NPC patients without any history of irradiation and chemotherapy were included as a control group. Carotid parameters, including stiffness constant ( β ), pressure–strain elastic modulus (Ep), arterial compliance (AC), stiffness constant pulse wave velocity (PWV β ), and wave intensity pulse wave velocity (PWVWI) were measured. Results There were no significant differences in conventional echocardiographic variables among the three groups. In comparison with the control group, β , Ep, PWV β , and PWVWI were significantly increased, while AC was significantly decreased in the NPC1 and NPC2 groups, and there were differences between the NPC1 group and NPC2 group (all P