Clinical Research Repository

Caterina Franco and her team delved into the effects of melatonin supplementation on hypertensive individuals. They initiated an open-label randomized study, initially assessing endothelial damage and […]

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are potentially toxic proteins that become glycated after contact with sugars which are known risk marker in diabetic vascular disease, and […]

Arterial stiffness is a biomarker of vascular aging that reflects both chronologic and biological aging. A study led by Katarzyna Polonis at Lund University used metabolomics […]

Although the risk of CVD increases with age in both sexes, the risk accelerates more sharply in postmenopausal women than in men. A group led by […]

After an average of 26.5 days of Ramadan fasting, Maryam Alinezhad-Namaghi and colleagues found that arterial age was reduced by 7 years, representing a 1.8% decrease […]

A study sponsored by University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust examined rising arterial stiffness with accumulating comorbidities associates with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction […]

A group from the King’s College London led by Yao Lu investigated age and sex differences in arterial stiffness using pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements. The […]

A team led by Marit Skogstad from the Oslo University Hospital studied the influence of shift work on arterial stiffness and systemic inflammation on 86 workers. […]

Rebecca Steinberg and colleagues studied 137 patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and found that arterial stiffness and wave reflections can increase afterload and […]

In a review of the pathophysiological events that contribute to the development of arterial stiffness and strategies aimed to reduce the stiffening of the arterial wall, […]

The first trimester of pregnancy acts as a natural cardiovascular stress test, revealing underlying vascular abnormalities that may hinder the body’s ability to meet increased pregnancy […]

Arturo Figueroa and his team conducted a study examining the impact of a 4-week citrulline and glutathione (CIT+GSH) supplement regimen on vascular health and blood pressure […]

EVA plays a key role in cardiovascular risk assessment, as it involves changes in arterial structure and function over time, leading to increased cardiovascular risk A […]

Shelley Keating and colleagues studied exercise intervention for people with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an advanced form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The team examined the […]

A research team led by Eleanor Murray used machine learning to analyze vascular characteristics in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients. Their analysis revealed heightened levels of arterial […]

Diabetes is a chronic disease leading to cardiovascular complications that can be diagnosed early as subclinical vascular damage. Marcon and colleagues investigated cardiovascular risk factors and […]

A research team led by Caroline Robert of the National University Health System in Singapore examined the associations between carotid artery stiffness and cerebral small-vessel disease […]

Previous studies on anti-inflammatory therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been found to reduce CV risk in RA patients. Blanken and colleagues studied 61 RA patients […]

A group at the University Hospital Erlangen led by Robert analyzed vascular remodeling and function in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with an ejection fraction ≤49%. […]

In a research study involving 460 adults between the ages of 55 and 85 recruited from the Wake Forest Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, a team led […]

In a study of 460 participants (70 ± 8 years), a research group from the Wake Forest University led by Claudia Coffin that arterial stiffness and […]

Over a span of 5 years, Huijuan Chao helmed a study investigating the interplay among peripheral blood pressure, Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), and target organ […]

The reduction in estrogen levels during menopause can raise blood pressure and arterial stiffness, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cognitive decline in post-menopausal women. […]

A group led by Mayooran Namasivayam at Harvard Medical School report that the assessment of blood pressure during exercise can reveal changes that associate with adverse […]

Oxana Rotar and her team investigated arterial wall stiffness in 305 survivors of the Leningrad Siege to understand how hunger and stressful early-life conditions influenced the […]

Fabio Anastasio and colleagues evaluated the relationship between arterial stiffness and survival in 199 hospitalized HF patients. Over a median follow up of 437 days, the […]

Gómez-Marcos and his team examined 501 participants ranging in age from 35 to 75 years to determine if specific duration or types of sedentary behaviours are […]

In an analysis of 15 publications consisting of four cross-sectional studies, three retrospective studies, six prospective studies and two case reports, Ioana Zota and colleagues report […]

Zuo’s team investigated the correlation of various vascular phenotypes, such as arterial stiffness and blood pressure status, and target organ damage. The results found that patients exhibiting both elevated pulse wave velocity (PWV) and central blood pressure (CBP) face heightened risks of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Notably, individuals with solely elevated CBP display an increased risk of abnormal albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), signifying early stages of renal impairment. This suggests that elevation of central aortic blood pressure, distinct from PWV, may serve as an early indicator of renal impairment. 

The mRNA COVID-19 vaccine leads to an increase in inflammatory markers and temporary decline in endothelial function, but these effects are short-term and do not pose […]

A research team led by Joëlle Schutten of the Dialyse Centrum Groningen carried out a randomized controlled trial to determine whether magnesium supplementation has beneficial effects […]

Brandon Fico and colleagues studied the association between aortic stiffness and cerebral artery pulsatility index in young and older adults. The study found that age and […]

A team from the Birmingham City Hospital led by James Castleman studied 115 women and found increased prevalence of prehypertension and increased arterial stiffness in pregnant […]

Various hypertension guidelines have different blood pressure (BP) thresholds irrespective of age. Coelho’s and colleagues investigated 1775 participants, averaging 38 years old, and classified based on […]

In a study aimed to explore the relationship between diet, arterial stiffness, glucose control, and cognitive performance in older adults at risk of cognitive decline, Sarah […]

A research team led by Emily Lau from Massachusetts General Hospital examined the association between arterial stiffness and left ventricular diastolic function during exercise in men […]

Robert Pietschner and colleagues at University Hospital Erlangen evaluated the effect of empagliflozin, an SGLT2 inhibitor, on blood ketone body concentration in patients with stable chronic […]

A research group from the Institute of Cardiology led by Wiktoria Wojciechowska reported that long-term exposure to aircraft noise is associated with increased arterial stiffness and […]

P. Panyarath and colleagues at McGill University investigated the link between obstructive sleep apneahypopnea (OSAH) and pregnancy outcomes in an ongoing pilot randomized controlled trial. The […]

Glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, and long-term oxidation of fatty acids due to hyperglycemia may also contribute to reduction of cardiac and vascular function. Firmino and colleagues assessed […]

Stéphane Laurent and colleagues compared a therapeutic strategy targeting pulse wave velocity (PWV) with a conventional strategy for treating hypertension. The study enrolled 536 participants and […]

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a common cardiovascular complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD), closely associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Ruyi Cai and colleagues demonstrated that even within a CKD population, Central pulse pressure exhibited higher sensitivity and specificity compared to brachial pulse pressure for determining LVH. The study’s findings indicate that CBP serves as a superior predictor of LVH risk. Advocating for early identification and treatment of elevated CBP mitigates the risk of LVH and subsequent cardiovascular complications in CKD patients.

A group led by Mary Rezk-Hanna of the University of California described differential effects of electronic hookah vaping and traditional combustible hookah smoking on oxidation, inflammation, […]

A group from the VA San Diego Healthcare System led by Katherine Bangen studied 193 older adult volunteers with normal cognition and mild cognitive impairment. The […]

Rachel Szeghy and colleagues studied 15 young adults who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and found that they had higher carotid stiffness and aortic augmentation index compared […]

A group at the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging led by Sana Suri examined the association between aortic stiffening and brain structure and cognition on 542 […]

A research group at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center found in youth that the quality of diet in youth and young adults with type 1 […]

Áine Brislane and her team conducted a pilot study to explore the impact of exercise during the first trimester of pregnancy on maternal and offspring vascular […]

While statins offer benefits for lipid profiles, sexual function, and arterial stiffness in the general population, patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) still face early cardiovascular disease […]

Stéphane Laurent and Pierre Boutouyrie from Université de Paris delved into the intricate relationship between aging and cardiovascular complications. Their study underscores the significance of arterial […]

Justin Mason and colleagues reported that, in older adults with high and normal aortic stiffness, those with high stiffness had greater declines in vascular and cognitive […]

Individuals with type 1 diabetes have a reduced life expectancy which can be associated to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. A […]

Battistoni and colleagues, review the importance of measuring central blood pressure and pulse wave velocity for better management of hypertension. They state that patients with high […]

Urbina and team conducted a 5-year longitudinal study of 448 adolescents to investigate the impact of either obesity or type 2 diabetes on EVA. The findings […]

Christina Antza led a research team in conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis to probe the correlation between masked hypertension (MH) and white-coat hypertension (WCH) with […]

A team at the National University Health System in Singapore led by Wen Yuan investigated the association between maternal glucose levels during pregnancy and cardiovascular risk […]

Using the longitudinal data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), Pei Kuo at the National Institute on Aging discusses biomarkers of chronic inflammation, measurements […]

Most pharmacologic interventions that target aortic stiffness in renal disease are associated with mixed effects to vascular function. A team led by Agharazii conducted a meta-analysis to determine which targeted aortic stiffness therapies improve PWV and SBP measures. Multiple therapies, vitamin D and renin angiotensin system inhibitors, did not show any added benefit than placebo groups. However, calcium channel blockers showed a controlled decrease of both PWV and SBP beyond standard care. This indicates that incorporating this therapy could have reduced cardiovascular burden within renal affected cohorts. 

Roeder and colleagues examined 76 COPD patients to assess augmentation index (AIx) changes over a 7-year period with indicators described in cross-sectional studies. AIx significantly increased […]

A research team led by Marzieh Araghi examine the association between arterial stiffness and cognitive decline over 7 years on 4,300 study participants. The team found […]

Jonathan Kim and colleagues from the Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute conducted a comprehensive multiyear, multicenter, longitudinal observational cohort study involving collegiate US football athletes spanning […]

Recent studies have found that adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) plays a role in controlling metabolism and is linked to conditions like metabolic disorders, type […]

Up to 20% of the general population may exhibit impaired pulmonary function making it crucial to uncover the mechanisms that link it to cardiovascular disease. A […]

Sima and team investigated the resting heart rate (RHR) relation to aortic vascular biomarkers, in COPD patients pre- and post- aerobic exercise pulmonary rehabilitation. The rehabilitation […]

Vitamin D deficiency is linked to chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression and vascular dysfunction. Dou and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials involving 429 CKD patients. Results showed that Vitamin D treatment correlated with a significant decrease in pulse wave velocity, indicating reduced arterial stiffness. Interestingly, no significant differences in blood pressure were observed. Therefore, these findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation may improve vascular health by reducing arterial stiffness, independent of blood pressure changes.

In individuals with severely dysfunction kidneys, hemodialysis enables filtration of blood but in turn it significantly increases cardiovascular burden. Debowska and colleagues found that pulse wave analysis features (systolic, augmented and pulse pressure) were significantly different at the end of dialysis. The subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR) was strongly correlated with hydration levels during hemodialysis. The estimation of SEVR from the aortic waveform specifically helps inform fluid management during treatment to maintain cardiac function. Pulse-wave analysis parameters are easily measurable and accessible which monitor sudden cardiovascular changes which can help prevent overhydration during hemodialysis treatment. 

Androgens influence vascular remodeling. Pre-menopausal women show stable vascular biomarker measures (pulse pressure and augmentation index) across menstrual cycles, with lower stiffness than men from puberty […]

The team led by Laurent investigated the correlation between vascular function and cognitive decline in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. The findings suggest that both arterial stiffness (cf-PWV), and central pulse pressure are elevated in CKD patients with known cognitive decline, as assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The observed correlation of vascular health with both brain function and CKD proposes that patients may experience parallel deterioration. Early detection of elevated central pulse pressure and arterial stiffening could help not only identify risk of CKD but also help mitigate cognitive decline and improve overall outcomes.

Valéria Costa-Hong’s study on 122 hypertensive patients at the University of São Paulo Medical School revealed that women, regardless of menopause status, had higher wave reflection […]

A research team at King’s College London led by Cristina Menni studied how gut microbial diversity is associated with lower arterial stiffness in women. In the […]

Atherosclerosis impacts all vascular beds, with the penile artery particularly susceptible due to its small diameter compared to larger central arteries. Kumagai et al. investigated whether […]

More than 40% of COPD patients also suffer from arterial hypertension. Aksenova and colleagues aimed to evaluate aortic vascular biomarkers (central systolic blood pressure (cSBP), central […]

Cardiovascular disease frequently coexists with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and contributes to mortality. A research team led by Fisk investigated 458 patients with a diagnosis of […]

Patients with resistant hypertension have heightened blood pressure despite using antihypertensive drugs. Venioles’s team investigated the effects of different additional therapies, renal denervation or antihypertensive, in participants with resistant hypertension on existing diuretic treatment. Central pulse pressure was significantly decreased within the antihypertensive group indicating that including additional targeted hypertensive therapy in combination with existing treatment could help mitigate target organ damage in resistant hypertensive.

Roneé Harvey at the University of Wisconsin–Madison investigated aortic hemodynamics in postmenopausal women after stopping hormone therapy. Their study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, found […]

Luana de Rezende Mikael and her team explored the connection between vascular aging and arterial stiffness. Their manuscript covered the physiopathogenesis of vascular aging, methods for […]

A research group led by Julio Chirinos assessed effects of organic and inorganic nitrate on patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The team […]

Darragh O’Neill and a team from University College London investigated 25 years of prospective data to assess the connection between alcohol consumption and alterations in arterial […]

A team led by Peter Wohlfahrt from the Mayo Clinic conducted the first longitudinal trial in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients where changes […]

A research team at University of Oslo led Tove Lekva investigated the association between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), cardiovascular risk, and plasma adiponectin, leptin, and the […]

Current therapeutic strategies targeting insulin resistance have not shown evidence of reducing cardiovascular risk in diabetes patients, prompting the search for alternative therapies. Blaslov and Duvnjak […]

Irina Strazhesko and colleagues studied 303 individuals without known heart diseases to explore insulin resistance’s role in arterial aging. Their findings indicated that insulin resistance and […]

Tanja Dudenbostel and her team conducted a study focusing on refractory hypertension at the Birmingham Hypertension Clinic. Their findings revealed a prevalence of 2.7% for refractory […]

Men experience an age-related decline in sex hormones, termed “andropause,” linked to decreased bone density, muscle mass, and increased cardiovascular risk. Corrigan et al. investigated the […]

Untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), especially when combined with obesity and male gender, increases all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Androgen deficiency is common in both obese men […]

Impaired lung function has repeatedly been demonstrated in children born preterm, independent of other pulmonary risks. Bolton and colleagues examined the association between lung function, maternal […]

Integrating both physical activity and nutritional optimization, in a multidisciplinary pulmonary rehabilitation program, is associated with reducing cardiovascular risks. Gale and colleagues showed through both exercise […]

In their investigation involving 723 adolescents and young adults aged 10-23 years, Elaine Urbina and her team found that both pre-hypertension and hypertension independently contribute to […]

Male hypogonadism (low testosterone) is a recognized contributor to endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffening, increasing cardiovascular mortality risk. Yaron et al. investigated the effects of testosterone […]

B Jani at Imperial College London discussed the impact of aging on vascular health. As people age, physiological changes occur, affecting the mechanical and structural properties […]

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in prostate cancer induces hypogonadism with uncertain vascular effects. Smith et al. investigated ADT’s impact on vascular biomarkers in 22 patients, including […]