Amplification of the Pressure Pulse in the Upper Limb in Healthy, Middle-Aged Men and Women

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Abstract
Central-to-peripheral amplification of the pressure pulse leads to discrepancies between central and brachial blood pressures. This amplification depends on an individual’s hemodynamic and (patho)physiological characteristics. The aim of this study was to assess the magnitude and correlates of central-to-peripheral amplification in the upper limb in a healthy, middle-aged population (the Asklepios Study). Carotid, brachial, and radial pressure waveforms were acquired noninvasively using applanation tonometry in 1873 subjects (895 women) aged 35 to 55 years. Carotid, brachial, and radial pulse pressures were calculated, as well as the absolute and relative (with carotid pulse pressure as reference) amplifications. With subjects classified per semidecade of age, carotid-to-radial amplification varied from ≈25% in the youngest men to 8% in the oldest women. Amplification was higher in men (20±14%) than in women (13±12%; P<0.001) and decreased with age (P<0.001) in both. Amplification over the brachial-to-rad...