Large Artery Stiffness

Phenotyping Heterogeneity and Regionality of the Aorta

The aorta distributes cardiac stroke volume into the whole body through its finetuned conductance function, that is propagation and modulation of flow pattern. Physicomechanic properties of the aortic wall assure continuous and homogenous blood flow distribution to organs. The physicomechanic properties of the aortic wall are heterotopic: The collagen/elastin ratio doubles in the abdominal aorta as compared to the thoracic aorta. Malfunction of aortic conduction due to large artery stiffening (LAS) leads to premature wave reflection and excess pulsatility which translate into organ damage in low-resistance beds. The regional heterogeneity of aortic physicomechanic properties and their histomorphological substrate leading to altered regional hemodynamics are not well investigated. Within the PHaRAo population, there is a spectrum of higher and lower risk patients. The aim of this cohort study is to collect prospectively and systematically clinical research data from PHaRAo patients. This cohort study is an open-end observational study to identify master switches in aortic disease