Andrew Louis Wentland1, 2, Nancy K. Sweitzer3, Oliver Wieben1, Elizabeth A. Sadowski2, Thomas M. Grist2, Chris J. Francois2
1Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; 2Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; 3Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health, Madison, WI, United States
It is hypothesized that arterial stiffening in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) will lead to elevated aortic pulsatility and subsequent renal barotrauma. The purpose of this study was to assess aortic stiffness and renal oxygen bioavailability in MS patients using MR-based pulse wave velocity (PWV) and BOLD techniques. PWV and medullary oxygen bioavailability were significantly greater in MS patients than in healthy volunteers. The association of increased PWV and altered renal tissue oxygenation, as well as the known increase in renal dysfunction with advanced MS, suggests that arterial stiffening may play a causal role in renal dysfunction and future risk.
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