Objective    To investigate the significance of noninvasive arterial stiffness examination in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).     Methods    A total of 110 patients with chronic heart failure and admitted in our hospital from October 2008  to January 2009 were subjected in this study. They were divided into 3 groups according to their cadiac function varied from class Ⅱ-Ⅳ (NYHA). There were 50 patients in NYHA Ⅱ group

30 in Ⅲ group

and 300 in VI group. Measurement of these parameters

including the cardioankle vascular index (CAVI)

ankle-brachial index (ABI)

left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)

plasma aldosterone (ALD)

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)

high sensitive reaction protein C (Hs-CRP) were measured

and the relationship among these parameters were analyzed.     Results    CAVI in Ⅲ group and Ⅳ group was obviously higher than that in group Ⅱ (P0.05). Plasma ALD

BNP and Hs-CRP were significantly higher in the group Ⅲ and group Ⅳ than in group Ⅱ (P0.05). Color Doppler echocardiography indicated that group Ⅲ and group Ⅳ had obviously decreased LVEF compared with the group Ⅱ (P0.05). CAVI was positively correlated with ALD

BNP and Hs-CRP respectively (r=0.344

0.434

0.406

P0.05)

and negatively correlated with LVEF（r=-0.678

P0.05）.      Conclusion    CAVI and ABI have equal value to evaluate arteriosclerosis degree. But the former is simple

reliable and non-invasive

and makes more comprehensive evaluation in cardiac function for cardiac patients with CHF and has the sound correlation with the traditional non-invasive indexes.