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(1) Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by endothelial dysfunction and fibrosis of skin and visceral organs. In the last decade, attention has been focused on the macrovascular involvement of the disease. In particular, the observation of increased arterial stiffness represented an interesting aspect of the disease, as predictor of cardiovascular risk. (2) Methods: We recruited 60 SSc patients (52 ± 12 years old, 90% females) and 150 age/sex-matched healthy controls in order to evaluate both intima-media thickness of the right common carotid artery and arterial stiffness using the B-mode echography and the SphygmoCor system® tonometer. (3) Results: The carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was higher in SSc patients than in controls (8.6 ± 1.7 vs. 7.8 ± 1.5 m/s; p < 0.001), as was the carotid-radial PWV (7.8 ± 1.1 vs. 6.7 ± 1.4 m/s; p < 0.001). The intima-media thickness was higher in SSc than in controls (654 ± 108 vs. 602 ± 118 µm; p = 0.004). The other parameters measured at carotid (radial strain, Young's modulus, compliance and distensibility) all indicated that arterial stiffness in tension was more pronounced in SSc. Of interest, the direct correlation between PWV and age corresponded closely in SSc. Moreover, a significant difference between SSc and controls as regards the carotid parameters was evident in younger subjects. (4) Conclusions: SSc patients showed an increased arterial stiffness compared to healthy controls. In particular, an SSc-related pathologic effect was suggested by the more pronounced increase in PWV with age and lower values of carotid elasticity in younger SSc patients than in age-matched controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current guidelines state that systemic inflammation, together with endothelial dysfunction, calcification, and hypercoagulability, predispose to premature atherosclerosis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We assessed whether IBD can affect aortic stiffness, a well-recognized vascular biomarker and an independent risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) in several populations. Recent studies reported that aortic stiffness is increased in adults with IBD compared with matched controls. This association is dependent on inflammatory burden and disease duration, and is reduced by antitumor necrosis factor therapy. Considered together, current findings suggest that increased aortic stiffness is an extraintestinal manifestation of IBD. This is clinically relevant since measuring aortic stiffness in patients with IBD could improve risk assessment, especially in those without established CVD. Moreover, effective control of inflammation could lower CV risk in patients with IBD by reducing aortic stiffness. Further longitudinal studies are needed to better clarify (i) the relationship between disease duration and irreversible changes of the arterial wall, (ii) the clinical characteristics of patients with IBD that have an increased arterial stiffness at least in part reversible, and (iii) whether arterial stiffness is useful to evaluate the efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We hypothesized that a reversal of the physiological stiffness gradient, previously reported in end-stage renal disease, begins in the early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and that chronic inflammation produces a different arterial phenotype in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Objectives To assess the extent of arterial stiffening in the central (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, cf.-PWV) and peripheral arteries (carotid-radial pulse wave velocity, cr-PWV) and to explore the determinants of the stiffness gradient in UC and in CKD. Methods We enrolled 45 patients with UC, 45 patients with stage 3–4 CKD and 45 matched controls. Results Despite the comparable cf.-PWV, the cr-PWV was higher in patients with UC than in those with CKD (median: 8.7 vs. 7.5 m/s; p < 0.001) and, consequently, the PWV ratio was lower (median: 0.97 vs. 1.12; p < 0.001). In patients with CKD a stiffness mismatch was reported starting from stage 3B. The PWV ratio was associated with age and C-reactive protein (beta: 0.08 z-score, 95%CI 0.02–0.14; p = 0.01) or active disease (beta: 0.43 z-score, 95%CI 0.003–0.857; p = 0.048) in patients with UC and with age and glomerular filtration rate (beta: − 0.56 z-score, 95%CI − 1.05 to − 0.07; p = 0.02) in patients with CKD. Conclusions The arterial phenotype differed between UC and CKD. The reversal of the arterial stiffness gradient is evident in CKD patients starting from stage 3B but not in patients with UC and comparable cf.-PWV. In patients with UC, the stiffness of both elastic and muscular arteries is increased as a consequence of inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arterial stiffening is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Whether exposure to relatively high levels of air pollution is associated with arterial stiffening is unclear. We aimed to assess the association between exposure to major air pollutants and arterial stiffening. PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science databases (through 31 January 2017) were searched using a combination of terms related to exposure to gaseous [nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO2)] or particulate matter pollutants (PM2.5, PM10 and PM10-2.5), arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity) and reflected waves (augmentation index, augmentation pressure). Pertinent information were extracted from selected studies. In this systematic review were included 8 studies with available data on air pollution and arterial stiffness/reflected waves parameters (8 studies explored the effects of exposure to particulate matter pollutants, 3 studies the effects of exposure to gaseous pollutants); seven of them reported increased arterial stiffness/reflected waves after exposure to air pollution (6 of 8 studies after particulate matter pollutants; 2 of 3 studies after gaseous pollutants). Arterial stiffness and reflected waves were increased in the majority of the studies after both short- and long-term exposure to air pollutants. In conclusion, available evidence supports an association of main air pollutants with increased arterial stiffness and reflected waves. This finding may have implications for population-based strategies for the reduction of arterial stiffness, a vascular biomarker and an intermediate endpoint for cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented on growing interest regarding the link between arterial stiffness and cardiovascular risk in this area of research was the publication in 2006 of an expert consensus document on methodological issues and clinical applications of arterial stiffness. Topics include the major vessel of interest when determining regional arterial stiffness and aortic pulse wave velocity, and the increased aortic stiffness was considered as a measure of subclinical target organ damage.

An editorial is presented on the Angiology provide an interesting contribution with regard to the relationship between arterial and cardiac dysfunction in patients with premature coronary artery disease (CAD). Topics include the lower at baseline in patients with CAD who developed cardiovascular (CV) events, and the agreement with the concept that increased arterial stiffness is a CV risk factor.

Intrarenal hemodynamic alterations are independent predictors of cardiovascular events in different populations. It has been hypothesized that there is an association between renal hemodynamics and coronary atherosclerotic burden in patients with hypertension. Therefore, the present study examined the associations between renal hemodynamics, coronary atherosclerotic burden and carotid atherosclerotic disease. A total of 130 patients with hypertension aged between 30–80 years who had been referred for an elective coronary angiography were enrolled in the present study. A duplex ultrasound of the intrarenal vasculature was performed to evaluate the resistive index (RI), pulsatility index (PI) and acceleration time (AT). The carotid intima-media thickness was additionally assessed. A coronary angiography was performed to detect the atherosclerotic burden using the Gensini Score (GS). Based on the GS values, subjects were divided into quintiles (I: ≤9; II: 9–17; III: 17–30; IV: 30–44; and V: GS >44) as well as in subjects with mild (GS ≤30) or severe coronary disease (GS >30). A weak significant difference in PI was identified among quintiles (P=0.041), whereas, RI and AT did not differ significantly. PI was associated with GS in the group with low coronary atherosclerotic burden (GS ≤30; P=0.047), whereas, no association was detected in subjects with GS >30. This association remained following adjustment for age and left ventricular ejection fraction (P=0.025). In conclusion, renal vascular alterations were associated with coronary atherosclerotic burden in patients with hypertension with mild coronary disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]