Cardio-ankle vascular stiffness index (CAVI) and 24 h blood pressure profiles

CAVI (Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index) is an index of global arterial stiffness, including properties of both large elastic and more peripheral arteries, which has been proposed to measure the degree of arteriosclerosis non-invasively. CAVI was reported to be independent of blood pressure measured at the time of its evaluation, at variance from the classic assessment of arterial wall properties through carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity. There is however a need to explore more in detail the relationship between CAVI and blood pressure, by focusing not only on office blood pressure but also on 24 h blood pressure profiles, which can be obtained by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. This technique is able to assess 24 h, daytime and night-time blood pressure mean values and blood pressure variability. How the 24 h blood pressure profiles, which carry relevant prognostic information, relate with CAVI, which is an established marker of vascular organ damage, is an important issue for present and future research.