Arterial compliance adds to conventional risk factors for prediction of angiographic coronary artery disease

Background Arterial compliance is related to left ventricular hypertrophy and risk for cardiovascular disease events; however, its association with coronary artery stenosis remains uncertain. We sought to assess the relation between lower extremity arterial compliance and presence of angiographically defined coronary artery disease. Methods Lower extremity arterial compliance was measured with the use of a noninvasive air plethysmography technique in 376 subjects undergoing routine diagnostic coronary angiography. Results Measures of calf arterial compliance were significantly associated with the presence of one or more stenoses greater than or equal to50% compared with no stenoses, even after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity (P = .03). Measures of thigh arterial compliance were also lower in subjects with disease, although this association did not reach statistical significance (P = .07). Receiver operator curves illustrate the incremental predictive ability of calf arterial compliance over and above age, sex, and conventional risk factors. Conclusions Lower extremity arterial compliance is associated with presence of significant coronary stenoses in a cardiac catheterization laboratory referral population. This observation lends support for additional efforts to determine the utility of vascular stiffness measures in both clinical and pre-clinical populations to guide treatment and prevention efforts.