Short-term effects of a standardized glucose load on region-specific aortic pulse wave velocity assessed by MRI

Purpose To assess the short-term effects of a standardized oral glucose load on regional aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) using two-directional in-plane velocity encoded MRI. Materials and Methods A randomized, controlled intervention was performed in 16 male subjects (mean +/- standard deviation: age: 59 +/- 7 years, body mass index: 28 +/- 3 kg/m(2)) with impaired fasting glucose. The intervention consisted of an oral glucose load (75 grams of carbohydrates in 300 mL water) at 1 study day and water (300 mL) at the other study day. PWV was measured using multislice two-directional in-plane velocity-encoded MRI. Results PWV in the proximal aorta at 1 h post-glucose load decreased compared with PWV 1-h post-water (delta PWV: -1.0 +/- 2.6 m/s versus 0.6 +/- 2.0 m/s, P = 0.02). Eight responding subjects showed a significant decrease in PWV of the proximal aorta after the glucose load and had a decreased waist circumference (P = 0.037) compared with nonresponders, being one of the major criteria of the metabolic syndrome. There was no significant change in PWV of the distal aorta at 1 h post-load comparing both intervention groups. Conclusion A standardized oral glucose load induces a decrease of the proximal, but not of the distal, aortic PWV. Regional response of aortic PWV may be associated with features of the metabolic syndrome. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2014;39:717-721. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc