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Measurement of the local aortic stiffness by a non-invasive bioelectrical impedance technique

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Abstract

Aortic stiffness measurement is well recognized as an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Recently, a simple method has been proposed for the evaluation of the local aortic stiffness (AoStiff) using a non-invasive bioelectrical impedance (BI) technique. This approach relies on a novel interpretation of the arterial stiffness where AoStiff is computed from the measurement of two new BI variables: (1) the local aortic flow resistance (AoRes) exerted by the drag forces onto the flow; (2) the local aortic wall distensibility (AoDist). Herein, we propose to detail and compare these three indices with the reference pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurement and the direct assessment of the aortic drag forces (DF) and distensibility (DS) obtained by the magnetic resonance imaging technique. Our results show a significant correlation between AoStiff and PWV (r = 0.79; P < 0.0001; 120 patients at rest; mean age 44 ± 16 years), and also between AoRes and DF (r = 0.95; P = 0.0011) and between AoDist and DS (r = 0.93; P = 0.0022) on eight patients at rest (mean age 52 ± 19 years). These first results suggest that local aortic stiffness can be explored reliably by the BI technique.

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Acknowledgments

Mathieu COLLETTE was supported by a grant from the University of Angers, France. This project was financed by a grant from the regional clinical research program PHRC No. 2006/10. The authors would like to thank the Clinical Research Center of Angers (France) for its help in the monitoring and data-management of the project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Systèmes Automatisés (LISA), Université d’Angers, 62, avenue Notre Dame du Lac, 49000, Angers, France

    Mathieu Collette & Anne Humeau

  2. Groupe Imagerie Médicale, LE2I, UMR CNRS 5158, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Bourgogne, 7  Bld Jeanne d’Arc, 21079, Dijon, France

    Alain Lalande

  3. CHU d’Angers, Laboratoire de radio-diagnostic et imagerie médicale, 4 rue Larrey, 49933, Angers Cedex 01, France

    Serge Willoteaux

  4. IFR 132, UMR CNRS 6214-INSERM 771, faculté de médecine, Université d’Angers, rue haute de reculée, 49035, Angers, France

    Georges Leftheriotis

  5. CHU d’Angers, Laboratoire d’Explorations Fonctionnelles Vasculaires, 4 rue Larrey, 49933, Angers Cedex 01, France

    Georges Leftheriotis

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  1. Mathieu Collette
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  2. Alain Lalande
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  4. Georges Leftheriotis
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  5. Anne Humeau
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Correspondence to Mathieu Collette.

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Collette, M., Lalande, A., Willoteaux, S. et al. Measurement of the local aortic stiffness by a non-invasive bioelectrical impedance technique. Med Biol Eng Comput 49, 431–439 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-011-0741-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-011-0741-3

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