LAUSR

OBJECTIVE Aortic stent grafting can cause aortic stiffening and increase pulse wave velocity (PWV), which can potentially affect long-term cardiovascular outcomes. The aim of this study was to clarify the factors contributing to increases in PWV after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). METHODS We included 64 patients with thoracic aortic pathology (51 men; mean age: 73 years) who underwent elective TEVAR, in this study. TEVAR was performed for degenerative aortic aneurysm (n=43) or aortic dissection (n=21), and the treatment length was 175 ± 52 mm. Brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV) was obtained before and 1 week after TEVAR. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the predictors of increases in baPWV of ≥ 100 cm/s following TEVAR. RESULTS baPWV increased from 1851 ± 392 cm/s to 2047 ± 479 cm/s, and the change in baPWV (ΔbaPWV) was 195 ± 339 cm/s (95% confidence interval: 111-280). Thirty-seven patients (58%) had ΔbaPWV ≥ 100 cm/s following TEVAR. In the multivariable analysis, in addition to Δheart rate and Δsystolic blood pressure, age (odds ratio: 1.21/year, 95% confidence interval: 1.05-1.40) and coronary artery disease (odds ratio: 12.0, 95% confidence interval: 1.20-121) were independent determinants of ΔbaPWV ≥ 100 cm/s following TEVAR, whereas ΔbaPWV ≥ 100 cm/s was not associated with treatment length or device type. CONCLUSIONS TEVAR was associated with PWV progression, especially in older patients with coronary artery disease, whereas treatment length or device type was not a predictor of PWV progression following TEVAR.