Aortic and Brachial Pulse Wave Contour and Timing in Aortic Valve Disease

The arrival time (QK<sub>d</sub>) and contour (ΔP/Δt) of the brachial arterial pressure wave was recorded noninvasively by Sphygmo-Recording, and was correlated with clinical and catheterization data for 23 patients with aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, or combined valvular disease. The mean normal values in 57 healthy subjects were 203 msec for QK<sub>d</sub> and 0.48 mm Hg msec-1 for ΔP/Δt. In 9 cases of documented aortic stenosis, mean QK<sub>d</sub> was prolonged (240 msec), and the mean ΔP/Δt of the brachial pressure wave was decreased (0.25 mm Hg msec-1). In 7 patients with aortic regurgitation, QK<sub>d</sub> tended to be shorter than normal (182 msec) and the upstroke exhibited a steeper slope (1.0 mm Hg msec-1). Patients with combined aortic stenosis and regurgitation showed a QK<sub>d</sub> in the normal range, and the slope of the arterial upstroke was also normal. QK<sub>d</sub> and brachial arterial ΔP/Δt obtained noninvasively show a systematic relationship with data from catheterization studies; e.g. the calculated aortic valve orifice; the interval between peak ventricular and aortic press