Association between arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis - The Rotterdamstudy

Background and Purpose-Studies of the association between arterial stiffnes s and atherosclerosis are contradictory. We studied stiffness of the aorta and the common carotid artery in relation to several indicators of atherosc lerosis. Methods-This study was conducted within the Rotterdam Study in >3000 elderl y subjects aged GO to 101 years. Aortic stiffness was assessed by measuring carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, and common carotid artery stiffness w as assessed by measuring common carotid distensibility. Atherosclerosis was assessed by common carotid intima-media thickness, plaques in the carotid artery and in the aorta, and the presence of peripheral arterial disease. D ata were analyzed by ANCOVA with adjustment for age, sex, mean arterial pre ssure, and heart rate. Results-Both aortic and common carotid artery stiffness were found to have a strong positive association with common carotid intima-media thickness, s everity of plaques in the carotid artery, and severity of plaques in the ao rta (P fur trend <0.01 for all associations), Subjects with peripheral arte rial disease had significantly increased aortic stiffness (P = 0.001) and b orderline significantly increased common carotid artery stiffness (P = 0.08 ) compared with subjects without peripheral arterial disease. Results were similar after additional adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and aft er exclusion of subjects with prevalent cardiovascular disease. Conclusions-This population-based study shows that arterial stiffness is st rongly associated with atherosclerosis at various sites in the vascular tre e.