Abstract
BackgroundObesity has nearly tripled worldwide during the last four decades, especially in young adults, and is of growing concern since it is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). We explored how different body composition measurements are associated with intima media thickness (cIMT) and local stiffness in the common carotid artery, in a subsample of healthy, young women and men, from the Swedish Lifestyle, Biomarkers, and Atherosclerosis (LBA) Study.MethodsFrom the LBA study, a subsample of 220 randomly selected, self-reported healthy individuals, 18–25 years old, were collected for the automatized local stiffness measurements; arterial distensibility, Young’s elastic modulus, and β stiffness index. Blood pressure and mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured using automatic blood pressure equipment. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated, waist circumference was measured, and percentage of body fat assessed using an impedance body composition analyzer. The carotid artery was scanned by ultrasound and analyzed using B-mode edge wall tracking. cIMT was measured and local stiffness measurements were calculated with carotid blood pressure, measured with applanation tonometry.ResultsNo association was found between cIMT and body composition. Local carotid stiffness was associated with body composition, and women had less stiff arteries than men (p < 0.001). Of the local stiffness measurements, arterial distensibility had the strongest associations with body composition measurements in both women and men (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analyses showed that BMI in women and BMI and percentage of body fat in men had the highest impact on arterial distensibility (p < 0.01 in both women and men).ConclusionsArterial distensibility was the local stiffness measurement with the strongest associations to different body composition measurements, in both women and men. In this age group, body composition measurements seem to be stronger predictors of common carotid arterial stiffness than MAP, and is a convenient way of detecting young adults who need cardiovascular risk follow-up and lifestyle counseling.
Highlights
Obesity has nearly tripled worldwide during the last four decades, especially in young adults, and is of growing concern since it is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD)
Arterial stiffness is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and it is suggested that blood pressure and central body fatness plays an important role [4]
Based on the observation that arterial distensibility was the local stiffness measurement that was significantly associated to most body composition measurements, in both women and men, the arterial distensibility was chosen as dependent variable in the multiple regression analyses to explore which of the body composition measurements, Body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat, and waist circumference that contributed mostly to arterial distensibility
Summary
Obesity has nearly tripled worldwide during the last four decades, especially in young adults, and is of growing concern since it is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). We explored how different body composition measurements are associated with intima media thickness (cIMT) and local stiffness in the common carotid artery, in a subsample of healthy, young women and men, from the Swedish Lifestyle, Biomarkers, and Atherosclerosis (LBA) Study. Arterial stiffness is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and it is suggested that blood pressure and central body fatness plays an important role [4]. A previous populationbased study showed a positive association between local stiffness in the carotid and femoral arteries, all-cause mortality, and incidence of cardiovascular events [7]. An increase in carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) is associated with many traditional risk factors and is considered to be a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis and increased risk of CVD [8]. Hypertension is suggested to be the risk factor that contributes most to an increase in cIMT, probably through medial hypertrophy [9]
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