Heart rate and arterial stiffness.

In their recent study, Ozdogru et al. [1] concluded that the pulse wave velocity was impaired and was improved after successful percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty in patients with mitral stenosis, which reveal that mitral stenosis is a factor related to impaired arterial stiffness. However, there is an uncertainty in interpreting the results of this study. Both structural and functional changes could affect the pulse wave velocity [2]. Among functional changes, heart rate is pretty important factors related to the pulse wave velocity. The study by Lantelme et al. [3] confirmed that heart rate had a significant relation to pulse wave velocity independent of blood pressure level. In the study by Ozdogru et al. [1], however, the baseline heart rate in mitral stenosis patients was higher than control group as stated by the authors. In addition, the changes of heart rate after successful percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty were not described in the study by Ozdogru et al. [1]. Are there any relations of the results of the study by Ozdogru et al. [1] to the above-mentioned baseline heart rate or the changes of heart rate after successful percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty?