Aortic Stiffness Affects the Coronary Blood Flow Response to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

We examined the hypothesis that a stiff aorta is associated with reduced coronary blood flow (CBF) and CBF response to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Aortic mechanical properties are thought to affect CBF, with increased stiffness associated with decreased coronary perfusion. Animal studies are conflicting, and human evidence is lacking. Even less is known about the effects of aortic stiffness on the CBF response to successful PCI. In 18 subjects undergoing elective PCI, a Doppler velocity guidewire was positioned proximal to a severe coronary stenosis to measure resting and adenosine-induced hyperemic CBF before and after PCI. Stenosis severity was assessed with Doppler velocity and pressure guidewires. Aortic mechanical indexes measured included central pulse-wave velocity (cPWV) and central pulse pressure (cPP). PCI was successful in all subjects (diameter stenosis: 88 ± 9% to 2 ± 7%; coronary flow velocity reserve: 1.8 ± 0.6 to 3.0 ± 0.8; fractional flow reserve: 0.57 ± 0.19 to 0.92 ± 0.06;...