動脈硬化を判定する際，簡便で定量的な生理機能検査として動脈弾性を計測することが勧められる．また脈波伝搬速度（PWV）は，これまで動脈弾性の間接的指標として長年種々の方法で測定され，大血管障害の予後因子として評価されてきたが，血圧依存性で再現性が低い．心臓足首血管弾性指数（CAVI）は，直接血管弾性を反映する指標であり，血圧非依存性で再現性が高く，大血管障害の定量的指標として臨床的有用性が確立されつつある．

Aim To compare the advantages and weaknesses of two kinds of noninvasive measurements with cardio-ankle vascular index(CAVI) and intima-media thickness(IMT) in the evaluation of arteriosclerosis.Methods The subjects were 351 persons(55~70 years old) who came to our clinics because of arteriosclerosis disease.They were divided into three classes of A,B and C.A class was non-arterioscletotic disease group and B class included diabetes mellitus,hypertension,hyperlipidemia and angina pectoris group and C class included coronary stenosis,myocardial infarction(MI) and cerebral infarction(CI).CAVI and IMT for the subjects were simultaneously measured.The relationship between CAVI and IMT and the duration of diabetes was analyzed in 112 of diabetic patients(21~84 years old).Results In age-matched subjects(55~70 years old),CAVI was higher in myocardial infarction,coronary artery stenosis,cerebral infarction;diabetes mellitus,angina pectoris,and hypertension was the second;non-arterioscletotic diseases group constituted together a "ladder effect" with three layers of mean values;Each layer presented the meaningful difference(P<0.05 or P<0.01) after exclusion of which P value between DM and MI or CS were appreciably high(P=0.130 and 0.118 respectively).IMT showed much more uncertainties with mean value,and IMT value was even lower in CI and CS groups than that in DM group.The correlation of the duration of diabetes mellitus was stronger with CAVI than with IMT.Significant positive correlations were observed between the CAVI measurement value and the duration of diabetes(r=0.499,P<0.001).However in IMT,there was only a weakly correlations with the duration of diabetes(r=0.195,P=0.038). Conclusions CAVI is a good indicator of cardio-and cerebro-vascular event,and is more likely reflecting arterioscleosis in a whole body than IMT.