Aortic size, distensibility, and pulse wave velocity changes with aging: longitudinal analysis from Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Abstract : Arterial stiffening is related to an intricate interplay between aging and other cardiovascular risk factors. The aortic arch accounts for most of the vascular buffering function and is primarily involved in arterial stiffening. MRI has been used to noninvasively measure strain, distensibility, and pulse wave velocity of the ascending aorta. We report aortic size and stiffness changes over mid to late adulthood in longitudinal comparisons with MRI over a 10-year period in the MESA cohort.