Session PB6.6

Evaluate the Relationship between Coronary Artery Calcification (CAC) and Arterial Compliance

LY Shyu, GY Lan, WC Hu*

Chung Yuan Christian University
Chung Li, Taiwan

The objective of this article is to evaluate the relationship between coronary artery calcification (CAC) and arterial compliance for patients with different calcification scores. Sixty one patients under went coronary artery calcification examination, using 64 slices CT scan in the Cheng-Hsin Rehabilitation and Medical Center, were recurred for this study. Patients were divided into three groups: low-score (0~11), mid-score (11~100) and high-score (101~), according to their CAC score. After a short orientation, continuous blood pressure measurement was conducted for five minutes using a custom build device from Chung-Yuan Christian University. Two measurements of arterial compliance from the continuous blood pressure waveforms were examined, the time constant during diastolic and the ration of area during systolic and diastolic. First of all, the distribution of patient groups is uneven. There are 40 low-score patients and the patient numbers for mid-score and high-score are 13 and 8, respectively. The highest CAC score amount the 61 subjects is 646. For the estimation of compliance, at least 10 continuous blood pressure waveforms were selected from each subject to obtain the compliance parameters. The results indicate that when comparing compliances estimated by diastolic time constant according to their CAC scores, there are significant different between low-score and mid-score (p <0.05) and between low-score and high-score (p <0.05). On the other hand, no significant different was found between these three groups when comparing compliances estimated by area method. Arterial compliance parameters obtained from continuous blood pressure waveform were used to correlate the CAC score with the arterial stiffness. Significant different are found between patients with low CAC score and mid CAC score (11~100) and between low CAC score and high CAC score (101~) patients. However, due to the uneven distribution of patients, more patients with high CAC score will be needed to generate more reliable results.

(Abstract Control Number: 187)