Assessment of plasma chitotriosidase activity, CCL18/PARC concentration and NP-C suspicion index in the diagnosis of Niemann-Pick disease type C: A prospective observational study

Background: Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) is a rare, autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease caused by mutations in either the NPC1 or NPC2 genes. The diagnosis of NP-C remains challenging due to the non-specific, heterogeneous nature of signs/symptoms. This study assessed the utility of plasma chitotriosidase (ChT) and Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 18 (CCL18)/pulmonary and activation-regulated chemokine (PARC) in conjunction with the NP-C suspicion index (NP-C SI) for guiding confirmatory laboratory testing in patients with suspected NP-C. Methods: In a prospective observational cohort study, incorporating a retrospective determination of NP-C SI scores, two different diagnostic approaches were applied in two separate groups of unrelated patients from 51 Spanish medical centers (n = 118 in both groups). From Jan 2010 to Apr 2012 (Period 1), patients with =2 clinical signs/symptoms of NP-C were considered ''suspected NP-C'' cases, and NPC1/NPC2 sequencing, plasma chitotriosidase (ChT), CCL18/PARC and sphingomyelinase levels were assessed. Based on findings in Period 1, plasma ChT and CCL18/PARC, and NP-C SI prediction scores were determined in a second group of patients between May 2012 and Apr 2014 (Period 2), and NPC1 and NPC2 were sequenced only in those with elevated ChT and/or elevated CCL18/PARC and/or NP-C SI =70. Filipin staining and 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC) measurements were performed in all patients with NP-C gene mutations, where possible. Results: In total across Periods 1 and 2, 10/236 (4%) patients had a confirmed diagnosis o NP-C based on gene sequencing (5/118 4.2%] in each Period): all of these patients had two causal NPC1 mutations. Single mutant NPC1 alleles were detected in 8/236 (3%) patients, overall. Positive filipin staining results comprised three classical and five variant biochemical phenotypes. No NPC2 mutations were detected. All patients with NPC1 mutations had high ChT activity, high CCL18/PARC concentrations and/or NP-C SI scores =70. Plasma 7-KC was higher than control cut-off values in all patients with two NPC1 mutations, and in the majority of patients with single mutations. Family studies identified three further NP-C patients. Conclusion: This approach may be very useful for laboratories that do not have mass spectrometry facilities and therefore, they cannot use other NP-C biomarkers for diagnosis

Search for patterns by combining cosmic-ray energy and arrival directions at the Pierre Auger Observatory

Energy-dependent patterns in the arrival directions of cosmic rays are searched for using data of the Pierre Auger Observatory. We investigate local regions around the highest-energy cosmic rays with E > = 6×1019 eV by analyzing cosmic rays with energies above E > = 5×1018 eV arriving within an angular separation of approximately 15°. We characterize the energy distributions inside these regions by two independent methods, one searching for angular dependence of energy-energy correlations and one searching for collimation of energy along the local system of principal axes of the energy distribution. No significant patterns are found with this analysis. The comparison of these measurements with astrophysical scenarios can therefore be used to obtain constraints on related model parameters such as strength of cosmic-ray deflection and density of point sources

Absence Of Nocturnal Dipping Is Associated With Stroke And Myocardium Infarction [la Ausencia De Descenso Nocturno De La Presión Arterial Se Asocia A Accidente Cerebrovascular E Infarto De Miocardio]

Background: The arterial hypertension varies in according to the circadian cycle, presenting physiologic fall of blood pressure (BP) during sleep (dipping). The absence of this fall or its increase associates to higher incidence of target-organ damages. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of dipping in hypertensive individuals, to correlate dipping to the blood pressure levels, clinic, and socio-demographic factors, and biochemical characteristics and to associate it cardiovascular events (stroke and myocardial infarction). Methods: Hypertensive individuals were submitted to the ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Presence of dipper was defined as fall ≥10% of the systolic BP of the day for sleep. Results: 163evaluated patients were divided in dippers (D, n=53) and nondippers (ND, n=110). Between the groups there was not significant difference to the age, sex, race, time of hypertension, glycemia, LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, schooling, smoking, and history of diabetes. D presented BP higher than the ND during the day and lower during sleep. ND had higher body mass index (BMI) (p=0.0377), lower level of HDL-cholesterol (p=0.0189), and higher pulse pressure during sleep (p=0.0025). History of stroke alone (p=0,046) and combined with myocardial infarction (p=0.032) were more frequent in nondippers individuals. In the logistic regression, only ND was associated independently with stroke or myocardial infarction. Conclusion: ND was associated in an independent way with the target-organ damages analyzed, what demonstrates its importance and strengthens the necessity of more aggressive treatment with objective to reach BP goals e, consequently, to prevent the development of new cardiologic and cerebrovascular events.9417480IV Diretriz para uso da monitorização ambulatorio da presión arterial - II Diretriz para uso da monitorização residencial da presión arterial IV MAPA / II MRPA (2005) Arq Bras Cardiol, 85 (SUPPL. 2), pp. 1-18. , Sociedade Brasileira de CardiologiaClement, D.L., De Buvzere, M.L., De Bacquer, D.A., De Leeuw, P.W., Duprez, D.A., Fagard, R.H., Office versus Ambulatory Pressure Study Investigators. Prognostic value of ambulatory blood-pressure recordings in patients with treated hypertension (2003) N Eng J Med, 348 (24), pp. 2407-2415Dolan, E., Stanton, A., Thijs, L., Hinedi, K., Atkins, N., McClory, S., Hond, E.D., O'Brien, E., Superiority of ambulatory over clinic blood pressure measurement in predicting mortality: The Dublin outcome study (2005) Hypertension, 46 (1), pp. 156-161. , DOI 10.1161/01.HYP.0000170138.56903.7aBen-Dov, I.Z., Kark, J.D., Ben-Ishay, D., Mekler, J., Ben-Arie, L., Bursztyn, M., Predictors of all-cause mortality in clinical ambulatory monitoring: Unique aspects of blood pressure during sleep (2007) Hypertension, 49 (6), pp. 1235-1241. , DOI 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.087262Giorgi, D.M.A., Monitorização ambulatorio da presión arterial como método de avaliação do pronóstico en hipertensión arterial (1996) Arq Bras Cardiol, 67 (2), pp. 145-148Staessen, J.A., Thijs, L., Fagard, R., O'Brien, E.T., Clement, D., De Leeuw, P.W., Predicting cardiovascular risk using conventional vs ambulatory blood pressure in older patients with systolic hypertension. Systolic Hypertension in Europe Trial Investigators (1999) JAMA, 282 (6), pp. 539-546Diagnosis and classification of Diabetes Mellitus (2004) Diabetes Care, 27 (SUPPL. 1), pp. S5-S10. , American Diabetes AssociationKnowler, W.C., Barrett-Connor, E., Fowler, S.E., Hamman, R.F., Lachin, J.M., Walker, E.A., Nathan, D.M., Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin (2002) New England Journal of Medicine, 346 (6), pp. 393-403. , DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa012512IV Diretriz brasileira sobre dislipidemias e prevenção da doença aterosclerótica (2007) Arq Bras Cardiol, 88 (SUPPL. 1), pp. 2-19. , Sociedade Brasileira de CardiologiaFriedewald, W.T., Levy, R.I., Fredrickson, D.S., Estimation of the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma, without use of the preparative ultracentrifuge (1972) Clin Chem, 18 (6), pp. 499-502Kario, K., Pickering, T.G., Matsuo, T., Hoshide, S., Schwartz, J.E., Shimada, K., Stroke prognosis and abnormal nocturnal blood pressure falls in older hypertensives (2001) Hypertension, 38 (4), pp. 852-857Anan, F., Takahashi, N., Ooie, T., Yufu, K., Saikawa, T., Yoshimatsu, H., Role of insulin resistance in nondipper essential hypertensive patients (2003) Hypertension Research, 26 (9), pp. 669-676. , DOI 10.1291/hypres.26.669Del Compare, M.E., D'Agostino, D., Ferraris, J.R., Boldrini, G., Waisman, G., Krmar, R.T., Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure profiles in liver transplant recipients (2004) Pediatric Transplantation, 8 (5), pp. 496-501. , DOI 10.1111/j.1399-3046.2004.00192.xTorun, D., Sezer, S., Arat, Z., Pelit, A., Yigit, F., Ozdemir, F.N., The frequency of combined target organ damage and the beneficial effect of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in never treated mild-to-moderate hypertensive patients (2005) International Heart Journal, 46 (6), pp. 1073-1082. , http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ihj/46/6/46_1073, DOI 10.1536/ihj.46.1073Davidson, M.B., Vidt, D.G., Hoogwerf, B.J., Brotman, D.J., Relation of diurnal blood pressure variation and triglyceride-to-high- density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in patients without diabetes mellitus (2005) Am J Cardiol, 95 (1), pp. 123-126Davidson, M.B., Hix, J.K., Vidt, D.G., Brotman, D.J., Association of impaired diurnal blood pressure variation with a subsequent decline in glomerular filtration rate (2006) Arch Intern Med, 166 (8), pp. 846-852Jerrard-Dunne, P., Mahmud, A., Feely, J., Circadian blood pressure variation: Relationship between dipper status and measures of arterial stiffness (2007) Journal of Hypertension, 25 (6), pp. 1233-1239. , DOI 10.1097/HJH.0b013e3280eec79f, PII 0000487220070600000010Muxfeldt, E.S., Salles, G.F., Pulse pressure or dipping pattern: Which one is a better cardiovascular risk marker in resistant hypertension? (2008) J Hypertens, 26 (5), pp. 878-884Brotman, D.J., Davidson, M.B., Boumitri, M., Vidt, D.G., Impaired diurnal blood pressure variation and all-cause mortality (2008) Am J Hypertens, 21 (1), pp. 92-97Ortega, K.C., Mion Jr., D., Qual o melhor determinante do pronóstico pela monitorizaç ão ambulatorio da presión arterial: Ausencia de descenso da presión durante o sueño o elevação rápida da presión pela manhã? (2005) Arq Bras Cardiol, 85 (3), pp. 208-209Shinohata, R., Nakatsu, T., Yuki, Y., Nishitani, A., Mashima, K., Toyonaga, S., Ogawa, H., Kusachi, S., Association of augmentation index of radial pressure wave form with diurnal variation pattern of blood pressure in untreated patients with essential hypertension (2008) Journal of Hypertension, 26 (3), pp. 535-543. , DOI 10.1097/HJH.0b013e3282f2fdb6, PII 0000487220080300000024Henskens, L.H., Kroon, A.A., Van Oostenbrugge, R.J., Haest, R.J., Lodder, J., De Leeuw, P.W., Different classifications of nocturnal blood pressure dipping affect the prevalence of dippers and nondippers and the relation with target-organ damage (2008) Journal of Hypertension, 26 (4), pp. 691-698. , DOI 10.1097/HJH.0b013e3282f4225f, PII 0000487220080400000014Safar, M.E., Systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure and arterial stiffness as cardiovascular risk factors (2001) Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension, 10 (2), pp. 257-261. , DOI 10.1097/00041552-200103000-00015Laurent, S., Cockcroft, J., Van Bortel, L., Boutouyrie, P., Giannattasio, C., Hayoz, D., Pannier, B., Struijker-Boudier, H., Expert consensus document on arterial stiffness: Methodological issues and clinical applications (2006) European Heart Journal, 27 (21), pp. 2588-2605. , DOI 10.1093/eurheartj/ehl254Verdecchia, P., Schillaci, G., Borgioni, C., Ciucci, A., Pede, S., Porcellati, C., Ambulatory pulse pressure: A potent predictor of total cardiovascular risk in hypertension (1998) Hypertension, 32 (6), pp. 983-988Morillo, M.G., Amato, M.C., Cendon Filha, S.P., Twenty-four hour blood pressure record for smokers and nonsmokers (2006) Arq Bras Cardiol, 87 (4), pp. 504-511Kotsis, V., Stabouli, S., Bouldin, M., Low, A., Toumanidis, S., Zakopoulos, N., Impact of obesity on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and hypertension (2005) Hypertension, 45 (4), pp. 602-607. , DOI 10.1161/01.HYP.0000158261.86674.8eBjorklund, K., Lind, L., Andren, B., Lithell, H., The majority of nondipping men do not have increased cardiovascular risk: A population-based study (2002) Journal of Hypertension, 20 (8), pp. 1501-1506. , DOI 10.1097/00004872-200208000-00011Ohkubo, T., Hozawa, A., Yamaguchi, J., Kikuya, M., Ohmori, K., Michimata, M., Prognostic significance of the nocturnal decline in blood pressure in individuals with and without high 24-h blood pressure: The Ohasama study (2002) J Hypertens, 20 (11), pp. 2183-2189Dimsdale, J.E., Coy, T., Ancoli-Israel, S., Mills, P., Clausen, J., Ziegler, M.G., Sympathetic nervous system alterations in sleep apnea: The relative importance of respiratory disturbance, hypoxia, and sleep quality (1997) Chest, 111 (3), pp. 639-642Hoshide, S., Kario, K., Determinants of nondipping in nocturnal blood pressure and specific nonpharmacological treatments for nocturnal hypertension (2008) Am J Hypertens, 21 (9), p. 968Fujii, T., Uzu, T., Nishimura, M., Takeji, M., Kuroda, S., Nakamura, S., Inenaga, T., Kimura, G., Circadian rhythm of natriuresis is disturbed in nondipper type of essential hypertension (1999) American Journal of Kidney Diseases, 33 (1), pp. 29-35Kimura, G., Kidney and circadian blood pressure rhythm (2008) Hypertension, 51 (4), pp. 827-828. , DOI 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.108.110213, PII 0000426820080400000007Birkenhager, A.M., Van Der Meiracker, A.H., Causes and consequences of a non-dipping blood pressure profile (2007) Netherlands Journal of Medicine, 65 (4), pp. 127-131Peixoto, A.J., White, W.B., Circadian blood pressure: Clinical implications based on the pathophysiology of its variability (2007) Kidney Int, 71 (9), pp. 855-860Nakamura, K., Oita, J., Yamaguchi, T., Nocturnal blood pressure dip in stroke survivors: A pilot study (1995) Stroke, 26 (8), pp. 1373-1378Rashid, P., Leonardi-Bee, J., Bath, P., Blood Pressure Reduction and Secondary Prevention of Stroke and Other Vascular Events: A Systematic Review (2003) Stroke, 34 (11), pp. 2741-2748. , DOI 10.1161/01.STR.0000092488.40085.15Birns, J., Markus, H., Kalra, L., Blood pressure reduction for vascular risk: Is there a price to be paid? (2005) Stroke, 36 (6), pp. 1308-1313Pedullà, M., Silvestri, R., Lasco, A., Mento, G., Lanuzza, B., Sofia, L., Sleep structure in essential hypertensive patients: Differences between dippers and non-dippers (1995) Blood Press, 4 (4), pp. 232-237Loredo, J.S., Ancoli-Israel, S., Dimsdale, J.E., Sleep quality and blood pressure dipping in obstructive sleep apnea (2001) American Journal of Hypertension, 14 (9 I), pp. 887-892. , DOI 10.1016/S0895-7061(01)02143-4, PII S089570610102143

Relevance of apolipoprotein E4 for the lipid profile of Brazilian patients with coronary artery disease

Apolipoprotein E (apoE - e2, e3, e4 alleles) plays a role in the regulation of lipid metabolism, with the e4 considered to be a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to evaluate the apoE polymorphisms in Brazilians with CAD and their influence on the lipid profile and other risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking). Two hundred individuals were examined: 100 patients with atherosclerosis confirmed by coronary angiography and 100 controls. Blood samples were drawn to determine apoE polymorphisms and lipid profile. As expected, the e3 allele was prevalent in the CAD (0.87) and non-CAD groups (0.81; P = 0.099), followed by the e4 allele (0.09 and 0.14, respectively; P = 0.158). The e3/3 (76 and 78%) and e3/4 (16 and 23%) were the most common genotypes for patients and controls, respectively. The lipid profile was altered in patients compared to controls (P < 0.05), independently of the e4 allele. However, in the controls this allele was prevalent in individuals with elevated LDL-cholesterol levels only (odds ratio = 2.531; 95% CI = 1.028-6.232). The frequency of risk factors was higher in the CAD group (P < 0.05), but their association with the lipid profile was not demonstrable in e4 carriers. In conclusion, the e4 allele is not associated with CAD or lipid profile in patients with atherosclerosis. However, its frequency in the non-CAD group is associated with increased levels of LDL-cholesterol, suggesting an independent effect of the e4 allele on lipid profile when the low frequency of other risk factors in this group is taken into account

Factors Associated With Increased Radial Augmentation Index In Hypertensive Individuals

Background: Arterial stiffness is a variable predictor of morbidity and mortality and a possible marker of vascular injury. Its non-invasive assessment by radial tonometry and analysis of the augmentation index (r-AI) allows identifying patients exposed to higher cardiovascular risk. Objective: To analyze the influence of r-AI on clinical-biochemical variables and its influence on the prevalence of target-organ damage in hypertensive patients. Methods: 140 consecutive hypertensive patients, followed-up in an outpatient clinic, were analyzed in a cross-sectional study. Blood pressure (BP) levels and r-AI were obtained by applanation tonometry of the radial artery (HEM-9000AI, Onrom). The patients were allocated into r-AI tertiles (r-AI ≤ 85%; 85 &lt; r-AI ≤ 97%; r-AI &gt; 97%). Results: The sample was predominantly composed of women (56.4%), mean age of 61.7 ± 11.7 years and body mass index 29.6 ± 6.1 Kg/m 2. The highest tertile showed higher proportion of women (p = 0.001), higher systolic BP (p = 0.001) and pulse pressure (p = 0.014), and lower weight (p = 0.044), height (p &lt; 0.001) and heart rate (p &lt; 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that weight (β =-0.001, p = 0.017), heart rate (β =-0.001, p = 0.007) and central pressure (β= 0.015, p &lt; 0.001) correlated independently with r-AI. In logistic regression analyses, the 3rd r-AI tertile was associated to lower levels of diabetes (DM) (OR = 0.41; 95% CI 0.17-0.97; p = 0.042). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that weight. heart rate and central BP were independently related to r-AI.973241248Williams, B., Lacy, P.S., Thom, S.M., Cruickshank, K., Stanton, A., Collier, D., Differential impact of blood pressure-lowering drugs on central aortic pressure and clinical outcomes: Principal results of the Conduit Artery Function Evaluation (CAFE) study (2006) Circulation, 113 (9), pp. 1213-1225Protogerou, A.D., Papaioannou, T.G., Blacher, J., Papamichael, C.M., Lekakis, J.P., Safar, M.E., Central blood pressures: Do we need them in the management of cardiovascular disease? Is it a feasible therapeutic target? (2007) J Hypertens, 25 (2), pp. 265-272Roman, M.J., Devereux, R.B., Kizer, J.R., Lee, E.T., Galloway, J.M., Ali, T., Central pressure more strongly relates to vascular disease and outcome than does brachial pressure: The Strong Heart Study (2007) Hypertension, 50 (1), pp. 197-203Safar, M.E., Blacher, J., Pannier, B., Guerin, A.P., Marchais, S.J., Guvonvarc'h, P.M., Central pulse pressure and mortality in end-stage renal disease (2002) Hypertension, 39 (3), pp. 735-738Weber, T., Auer, J., O'Rourke, M.F., Kvas, E., Lassnig, E., Berent, R., Arterial stiffness, wave reflections, and the risk of coronary artery disease (2004) Circulation, 109 (2), pp. 184-189Mattace-Raso, F.U., van der Cammen, T.J., Hofman, A., van Popele, N.M., Bos, M.L., Schalekamp, M.A., Arterial stiffness and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke: The Rotterdam Study (2006) Circulation, 113 (5), pp. 657-663Mulè, G., Cottone, S., Cusimano, P., Riccobene, R., Palermo, A., Geraci, C., The association of microalbuminuria with aortic stiffness is independent of c-reactive protein in essential hypertension (2009) Am J Hypertens, 22 (10), pp. 1041-1047Hermans, M.M., Henry, R., Dekker, J.M., Kooman, J.P., Kostense, P.J., Nijpels, G., Estimated glomerular filtration rate and urinary albumin excretion are independently associated with greater arterial stiffness: The Hoorn study (2007) J Am Soc Nephrol, 18 (6), pp. 1942-1952Takenaka, T., Mimura, T., Kanno, Y., Suzuki, H., Qualification of arterial stiffness as a risk factor to the progression of chronic kidney disease (2005) Am J Nephrol, 25 (5), pp. 417-424Blacher, J., Guerin, A.P., Pannier, B., Marchais, S.J., Safar, M.E., London, G.M., Impact of aortic stiffness on survival in end-stage renal disease (1999) Circulation, 99 (18), pp. 2434-2439Nürnberger, J., Keflioglu-Scheiber, A., Opazo Saez, A.M., Wenzel, R.R., Philipp, T., Schäfers, R.F., Augmentation index is associated with cardiovascular risk (2002) J Hypertens, 20 (12), pp. 2407-2414Deloach, S.S., Townsend, R.R., Vascular stiffness: Its measurements and significance for epidemiologic and outcome studies (2008) Clin J Am Soc Nephrol, 3 (1), pp. 184-192Hashimoto, J., Watabe, D., Hatanaka, R., Hanasawa, T., Metoki, H., Asayyama, K., Enhanced radial late systolic pressure augmentation in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (2006) Am J Hypertens, 19 (1), pp. 27-32Tsioufis, C., Tzioumis, C., Marinakis, N., Toutouzas, K., Tousoulis, D., Kallikazaros, I., Microalbuminuria is closely related to impaired arterial elasticity in untreated patients with essential hypertension (2003) Nephron Clin Pract, 93 (3), pp. c106-c111Weber, T., O'Rourke, M.F., Lassnig, E., Parodko, M., Ammer, M., Rammer, M., Pulse waveform characteristics predict cardiovascular events and mortality in patients urdergoing coronary angiography (2010) J Hypertens, 28 (4), pp. 797-805London, G.M., Blacher, J., Pannier, B., Guérin, A.P., Marchais, S.J., Safar, M.E., Arterial wave reflections and survival in end-stage renal failure (2001) Hypertension, 38 (3), pp. 434-438Melenovsky, V., Borlaug, B.A., Fetics, B., Kessler, K., Shively, L., Kass, D.A., Estimation of central pressure augmentation using automated radial artery tonometry (2007) J Hypertens, 25 (7), pp. 1403-1409Yasmin Brown, M.J., Similarities and differences between augmentation index and pulse wave velocity in the assessment of arterial stiffness (1999) QJM, 92 (10), pp. 595-600Kohara, K., Tabara, Y., Oshiumi, A., Miyawaki, Y., Kobayashi, T., Miki, T., Radial augmentation index: A useful and easily obtainable parameter for vascular aging (2005) Am J Hypertens, 18 (1 PART. 2), pp. 11S-14SKelly, R.P., Millasseau, S.C., Ritter, J.M., Chowienczyk, P.J., Vasoactive drugs influence aortic augmentation index independently of pulse-wave velocity in healthy men (2001) Hypertension, 37 (6), pp. 1429-1433Sakuragi, S., Maruo, T., Taniguchi, M., Nagase, S., Nakamura, K., Kusano, K.F., Radial augmentation index associated with increase in B-type natriuretic peptide in patients with hypertension (2008) Int J Cardiol, 130 (3), pp. 414-419Wilkinson, I.B., Maccallum, H., Flint, L., Cockcroft, J.R., Newby, D.E., Webb, D.J., The influence of heart rate on augmentation index and central arterial pressure in humans (2000) J Physiol, 525 (PART. 1), pp. 263-270Nakae, I., Matsuo, S., Matsumoto, T., Mitsunami, K., Horie, M., Augmentation index and pulse wave velocity as indicators of cardiovascular stiffness (2008) Angiology, 59 (4), pp. 421-426Williams, B., Lacy, P.S., CAFE and the ASCOT (Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial) Investigators. Impact of heart rate on central aortic pressures and hemodynamics: Analysis from the CAFE (Conduit Artery Function Evaluation) study: CAFE-Heart Rate (2009) J Am Coll Cardiol, 54 (8), pp. 705-713Lang, R.M., Bierig, M., Devereux, R.B., Flachskampf, F.A., Foster, E., Pellikka, P.A., Recommendations for chamber quantification: A report from the American Society of Echocardiography's Guidelines and Standards Committee and the Chamber Quantification Writing Group, developed in conjunction with the European Association of Echocardiography, a branch of the European Society of Cardiology (2005) J Am Soc Echocardiogr, 18 (12), pp. 1440-1463Wojciechowska, W., Staessen, J.A., Nawrot, T., Cwynar, M., Seidlerová, J., Storlarz, K., Reference values in white Europeans for the arterial pulse wave record by means of the SphymoCor device (2006) Hypertens Res, 29 (7), pp. 475-483Shiburi, C.P., Staessen, J.A., Maseko, M., Wojciechowska, W., Thijs, L., van Bortel, L.M., Reference values for SphygmoCor measurements in South Africans of African ancestry (2006) Am J Hypertens, 19 (1), pp. 40-46Li, Y., Staessen, J.A., Li, L.H., Huang, Q.F., Lu, L., Wang, J.G., Reference values for the arterial pulse wave in Chinese (2008) Am J Hypertens, 21 (6), pp. 668-673Chung, J.W., Lee, Y.S., Kim, J.H., Seong, M.J., Kim, S.Y., Lee, J.B., Reference values for the augmentation index and pulse pressure in apparently healthy korean subjects (2010) Korean Circ J, 40 (4), pp. 165-171Weber, T., Auer, J., O'Rourke, M.F., Kvas, E., Lassnig, E., Lamm, G., Increased arterial wave reflections predict severe cardiovascular events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (2005) Eur Heart J, 26 (24), pp. 2657-2663Nichols, W.W., Singh, B.M., Augmentation index as a measure of peripheral vascular disease state (2002) Curr Opin Cardiol, 17 (5), pp. 543-551Gatzka, C.D., Kingwell, B.A., Cameron, J.D., Berry, K.L., Liang, Y.L., Dewar, E.M., Australian Comparative Outcome Trial of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor and Diuretic-Based Treatment of Hypertension in the Elderly (2001) J Hypertens, 19 (12), pp. 2197-2203Tomiyama, H., Yamashina, A., Non-invasive vascular function tests: Their pathophysiological background and clinical application (2010) Circ J, 74 (1), pp. 24-33Mitchell, G.F., Effects of central arterial aging on the structure and function of the peripheral vasculature: Implications for end-organ damage (2008) J Appl Physiol, 105 (5), pp. 1652-1660Tomita, H., Kawamoto, R., Tabara, Y., Miki, T., Kohara, K., Blood pressure is the main determinant of the reflection wave in patients with type 2 diabetes (2008) Hypertens Res, 31 (3), pp. 493-499Lacy, P.S., O'Brien, D.G., Stanley, A.G., Dewar, M.M., Swales, P.P., Williams, B., Increased pulse wave velocity is not associated with elevated augmentation index in patients with diabetes (2004) J Hypertens, 122 (10), pp. 1937-1944Ghiadoni, L., Penno, G., Giannarelli, C., Plantinga, Y., Bernardini, M., Pucci, L., Metabolic syndrome and vasculature alterations in normotensive subjects at risk of diabetes mellitus (2008) Hypertension, 51 (2), pp. 440-445Wilhelm, B., Klein, J., Friedrich, C., Forst, S., Pfützner, A., Kann, P.H., Increased arterial augmentation and augmentation index as surrogate parameters for arteriosclerosis in subjects with diabetes mellitus and nondiabetic subjects with cardiovascular disease (2007) J Diabetes Sci Technol, 1 (2), pp. 260-263Wilkinson, I.B., Maccallum, H., Rooijmans, D.F., Murray, G.D., Cockcroft, J.R., McKnight, J.A., Increased augmentation index and systolic stress in type 1 diabetes mellitus (2000) QJM, 93 (7), pp. 441-448Schram, M.T., Henry, R.M., van Dijk, R.A., Kostense, P.J., Dekker, J.M., Nijpels, G., Increased central artery stiffness in impaired glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes: The Hoorn Study (2004) Hypertension, 43 (2), pp. 176-18