Reduced shear stress and associated aortic deformation in the thoracic aorta of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Central aortic stiffness and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are associated with increased incidence of devastating aortopathies including aneurysmal degeneration, aortic dissections, development of atherosclerosis, and overall increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The exact mechanism leading to elevated aortic stiffness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is yet to be determined. Hemodynamic forces can actively modulate endothelial cell alignment, extracellular matrix composition, vascular tone, and inflammation present in the wall of the aorta. In this study, we observed reduced flow shear assessed at specific aortic regions correlated with relative area strain, a marker of aortic stiffness.