ABSTRACT
Cross-sectional associations between aortic elasticity assessed by carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and cardiovascular risk factors were examined in 429 apparently healthy middle-aged women. PWV was strongly and positively related to blood pressure and hypertension. Weak but significant positive associations were also found between PWV and age, heart rate, some lipids and lipoproteins, blood glucose (either as a continuous or dichotomous variable), body mass index, haematocrit, leucocyte count and family history of diabetes. No associations were observed between PWV and high density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1, fibrinogen, cigarette smoking, menopausal status and a family history of hypertension or myocardial infarction. After adjustment for systolic blood pressure, PWV remained significantly related to heart rate, leucocyte count, blood glucose (as a dichotomous variable) and a family history of diabetes. Multiple regression analysis showed that systolic blood pressure and, to a lesser extent, heart rate, leucocyte count and a family history of diabetes were all independent determinants of PWV. This pattern of associations suggests that arterial stiffness measured by PWV reflects the sclerotic rather than the atherotic component of atherosclerosis. The potential influence of a family history of diabetes on the elastic properties of the aorta needs to be ascertained in further studies.
Subject(s)
Aorta/physiopathology , Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology , Cardiovascular Diseases/physiopathology , Pulse , Age Factors , Blood Flow Velocity , Blood Pressure , Cardiovascular Diseases/blood , Cardiovascular Diseases/complications , Cross-Sectional Studies , Elasticity , Estrogen Replacement Therapy , Female , Humans , Hypertension/epidemiology , Hypertension/physiopathology , Menopause , Middle Aged , Myocardial Infarction/epidemiology , Prevalence , Regression Analysis , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
The long term treatment of hemophilic patients with an inhibitor to Factor VIII has been difficult although some success with immunosuppressive agents has been reported. Eighteen hemophilic patients, mainly from Bonn in Germany, but also from other countries, have completed a high dose Factor VIII treatment in an attempt to reduce their inhibitor titer and induce "immune tolerance" to Factor VIII. Plasma samples from the 18 patients collected before and after infusion of 50 units Factor VIII/kg body weight were sent to five laboratories to evaluate inhibitor titer, Factor VIII recovery and half life. This collaborative study demonstrated a close correlation from one laboratory to another concerning inhibitor titration and Factor VIII recovery. The conclusion of the study is that all patients treated with this protocol showed an undetectable or low inhibitor titer against Factor VIII indicating that they can be efficiently treated with Factor VIII.
