Aortic Stiffness and its Relation with the Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Patients with Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus

AIM
This study aims to evaluate the elastic properties of the aorta and its relation with the left ventricular diastolic function in patients with hypertension (HT) and/or diabetes mellitus (DM) by using routine echocardiographic methods and Schieken's method.
METHODS
Study groups were composed of 2 1 normal subject, 21 patients with HT, 21 with DM, and 15 with HT +DM. The aortic strain, be ta index, distensibility and Schieken index were evaluated as aortic elasticity parameters. Aortic elasticity parameters of normal and patient groups were compared. The correl ations of Schieken index with three other parameters were evaluated by simple linear regress ion analysis. Multivariate analysis was performed for deterıninants of the left ventricular diastolic fu nction.
FINDINGS
There were signi ficant differences between normal and patient groups (HT, DM, HT +DM) for acıtic strain (21.62±6.26 vs. 8.93±3.16, 11.48±3.78 and 7 .1 7±2.74 %, pCONCLUSION
There was an increase in aortic stiffness in patients with HT and/or DM. The increase in aortic st iffness may be the main cause of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction observed in patients with HT and/or DM. Schieken index was suitable to be used in evaluating aoıtic stiffness.