Abstract 15533: The Association Between Life’s Simple 7 and Arterial Stiffness in Black and White Women

Abstract

Background: Black women have a higher prevalence of nonideal cardiovascular health (CVH) related risk factors across most components of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) than White women. Due to a higher burden of CVH-related risk factors, research suggests that Black women have accelerated and higher arterial stiffness than White women. However, the association between LS7 CVH and arterial stiffness among Black and White women is unknown. Objective: To examine the association between LS7 and arterial stiffness and investigate whether race modifies this association. Methods: We examined 1,640 adult women (n=1165 White, n=475 Black) from the Morehouse-Emory Center for Health Equity and Predictive Health Institute cohorts. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), a marker of arterial stiffness, was assessed by applanation tonometry (SphygmoCor®). LS7 summary score (range 2-13) of 2-4 indicate ‘poor’, 5-9 ‘intermediate’, and 10-13 ‘ideal’ CVH. Cross-sectional analysis between the LS7 CVH 3-level categorical variable, cfPWV, and effect modification by race were examined. Multivariable linear regression models were conducted to examine the association between LS7 CVH and cfPWV, adjusting for model 1:(race, age); model 2:(model 1+ education, income). Results: Mean age 51±10.2 years. Compared to ‘ideal’ CVH, ‘poor’ ( β =1.08 m/s; 95% CI, 0.44, 1.71) and ‘intermediate’ ( β = 0.32 m/s; 95% CI, 0.20, 0.45) CVH groups had higher mean cfPWV in the minimal and fully adjusted models. Interaction of LS7 CVH and race on cfPWV was significant (p=.03) with Black women having higher mean cfPWV for each CVH group compared to White women. In race-stratified models, Black women with ‘poor’ ( β =1.56 m/s; 95% CI, 0.79, 2.32) and ‘intermediate’ ( β =0.46 m/s; 95% CI, 0.23, 0.68) CVH had higher cfPWV after minimal and full adjustment. Conclusions: Better CVH was associated with lower arterial stiffness. Compared to White women, Black women had greater arterial stiffness that was most pronounced for ‘poor’ and ‘intermediate’ CVH. Given that arterial stiffness is a prognostic measure, further study of health behaviors and psychosocial factors that contribute to higher arterial stiffness in Black women is warranted.