Association of Blood Pressure Indices with Right and Left Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI) and Its Mathematically Corrected Form (CAVI(0)) for the Evaluation of Atherosclerosis

Background and Objectives: The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is an index for arterial stiffness that is theoretically independent of blood pressure. CAVI(0) is the mathematically corrected formula of CAVI that has been claimed to be less dependent on blood pressure changes. The association of right and left CAVI and CAVI(0) with blood pressure indices can reveal the importance of considering the blood pressure of the patient despite their theoretical independency. In this study, we assessed the right and left CAVI and CAVI(0) and evaluated the main effect of blood pressure indices on them with respect to age. Materials and Methods: We collected the following data of 136 community-dwelling individuals: age; sex; weight; height; body mass index; right and left CAVI and CAVI(0); and systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean blood pressure (MBP). The association of right and left CAVI and CAVI(0) with blood pressure indices was evaluated using regression analysis. Results: Regression analysis revealed that SBP, DBP, and MBP were associated with right and left CAVI (independent of age). Moreover, SBP was associated with both right and left CAVI(0) (independent of age), whereas DBP was not associated with right or left CAVI(0). Conclusion: Right and left arterial stiffness measured using CAVI has no different associations with SBP, DBP, and MBP. Both right and left CAVI(0) were independently associated with SBP, whereas neither left nor right CAVI(0) was independently associated with DBP. MBP was only associated with the right-side CAVI(0) in community-dwelling individuals.