MiscellaneousChanges in aortic distensibility and pulse wave velocity assessed with magnetic resonance imaging following beta-blocker therapy in the marfan syndrome
Section snippets
Study subjects and protocol
Six subjects who met the criteria of the diagnosis “the Marfan syndrome” according to the revised Berlin criteria15 and 6 healthy volunteers were studied. None of the study subjects took β-blocking agents or had undergone surgery. Body surface area was calculated from length and height using the formula of Du Bois and Du Bois.16 The study population characteristics are listed in Table I. After MRI without medication, all 12 subjects received 200 mg of metoprolol or 100 mg of atenolol daily for
Reproducibility of measurements
Figure 5 shows reproducibility of all areas measured (n = 3,257) in this study. A clear linear correlation between the results of 2 observers was found (R2 = 0.98, p <0.001). Interobserver variability was 5%.
Blood pressure and heart rate during MRI examination
No significant changes in mean blood pressure, pulse pressure, or heart rate occurred during the imaging protocol. Mean systolic and diastolic values were used per study subject.
Differences between and within groups
Differences in distensibility and pulse wave velocity between and within groups are shown in Table II.
In vivo examination of aortic stiffness with MRI
Our study extends the findings of previous studies that MRI enables the in vivo examination of aortic stiffness.3., 7., 14. Together with its excellent sensitivity and specificity in visualization of aortic disease, MRI offers the combination of morphologic and functional examination of the entire aorta. With MRI, it is always possible to acquire short-axis images of any part of the aorta, in which aortic area changes can reliably be assessed. Although T1-weighted spin-echo MRI offers the
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