Association of estimated pulse wave velocity with outcomes following drug-coated balloon therapy in elderly coronary artery disease patients.

Introduction: Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) constitute a vital therapeutic approach in the interventional management of coronary heart disease. Nevertheless, the risk factors for predicting target lesion revascularization (TLR) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) specifically within the elderly population following DCB angioplasty remain incompletely understood. The study is to explore the relationship between estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) values and the risk of TLR and MACE in elderly patients undergoing DCB treatment, and to explore the optimal ePWV cutoff for clinical risk stratification. Methods: A total of 423 participants were stratified into quartiles based on their ePWV values. Baseline characteristics were compared among these quartiles. The associations between ePWV and the risk of TLR and MACE were evaluated using Cox regression models, adjusted for multiple covariates. Kaplan-Meier analysis with the log-rank test was utilized to assess survival differences. The optimal ePWV cutoff for risk stratification was identified through maximally selected rank statistics. Subgroup analyses were performed to examine interactions between ePWV and clinical variables. Results: Differences emerged across ePWV quartiles for age, TLR, and MACE (all Conclusion: Elevated ePWV was associated with a higher risk of TLR and MACE. An exploratory cutoff for ePWV at 10.91 m/s was identified, stratifying patients into distinct clinical risk groups.