"Diastolic augmentation index (DAI), calculated from radial artery pressure waveform, has been
associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate
whether DAI could be used as a predictor of arterial stiffness and the effect of heart rate (HR) on
it. Measurements of anthropometric parameters, blood pressure (BP), Augmentation index (AI)
and DAI were taken in 242 healthy subjects (130 men and 112 women; age 16 78 years). DAI and
AI were measured in a subgroup of 16 subjects (10 men and 6 women; age 19 69 years) in a twomonth follow-up study, which aimed to investigate the effect of HR changes. Statistically, DAI
was higher in women compared to men (44:8% 7:7%compared with 43:6% 6:9%,P < 0:05).
DAI was decreased with age (men: r ¼ 0:755, P < 0:05; women: r ¼ 0:708, P < 0:05)
and negatively correlated to AI (men: r ¼ 0:704, P < 0:05; women: r ¼ 0:756, P < 0:05).
There was no significant change in DAI when HR ranged from 60 to 80 bpm. Multiple regression
analysis demonstrated fewer determinants affect DAI compared with AI. These findings indicate that the simple radial DAI might be used as an index to assess vascular aging."
