Comparison by Magnetic Resonance Phase Contrast Imagingof Pulse-Wave Velocity in Patients With Single Ventricle Who Have Reconstructed Aortas Versus Those Without

• Pulse-wave velocity (PWV) is a measure of aortic stiffness.
• PWV is higher in patients with reconstructed aortas than those without.
• Within patients who have reconstructed aortas, those >13 years old had a higher PWV than those <7 years old.
• Descending aorta distensibility was similar between both groups.

Pulse-wave velocity (PWV), a measure of arterial stiffness, is a known independent risk factor for cardiovascular events. Patients with single ventricle who undergo aortic to pulmonary anastomosis (recon) have noncompliant patch material inserted into the neoaorta, possibly increasing vessel stiffness and afterload. The purpose of this study is to determine if PWV in patients with single ventricle differed between those who did and those who did not undergo aortic reconstruction (nonrecon). We retrospectively reviewed cardiac magnetic resonance anatomic, cine, and phase contrast evaluations in the ascending aorta and descending aorta (DAo) at the level of the diaphragm data from 126 patients with single ventricle (8.6 ± 8.0 years) from January 2012 to May 2013. Significance = p <0.05. Seventy-five patients underwent recon and 51 did not. PWV in recon was significantly higher than in nonrecon (3.9 ± 0.9 m/s vs 3.2 ± 1.0 m/s, p = 0.008); in recon, patients >13 years old had a higher PWV than those <7 years (4.5 ± 0.6 vs 3.5 ± 0.7 m/s, p = 0.004). Whether <7 or >13 years old, PWV of those with recon was higher than nonrecon DAo distensibility was similar between both groups. There was no difference in age, body surface area, or cardiac index between recon and nonrecon. No correlations between various hemodynamic and ventricular function parameters with PWV were noted. In conclusion, PWV in recon is higher than in nonrecon with similar DAo distensibility implicating the aortic reconstruction as a possible cause of increased afterload; older recon patients have stiffer aortas than younger ones, possibly imposing an additional cardiovascular risk in the future. Other biomaterials may potentially moderate PWV if clinical outcome is adversely affected.