Longitudinal constancy of vascular ageing phenotypes in middle-aged Japanese employees

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Abstract Background Recently, the concept of healthy vascular aging (HVA) and early vascular aging (EVA) phenotypes was proposed. Purpose We examined following issues; constancy of the vascular phenotypes over time; validity of assuming that constancy of the vascular phenotypes reflects the progression rate of structural arterial stiffening; and associations of vascular phenotype constancy with cardiovascular risk factors/their treatment, and the heart rate (HR). Methods Data on the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) measured annually over a 16-year period in 4682 middle-aged Japanese employees were analyzed. Results Of all subjects, 30% showed constancy of the vascular phenotype during the study period. The estimated marginal mean of baPWV values and the slope of the annual increase of the baPWV were higher in the constant EVA group (EVA-EVA) than in the constant HVA group (HVA-HVA) (Figure 1). Elevated serum HbA1c levels, medication for hypertension, and high HR were significantly associated with constancy of the EVA phenotype, whereas a low HR was significantly associated with constancy of the HVA phenotype. Conclusions In middle-aged Japanese employees with the HVA/EVA phenotype at the study baseline, while the phenotype changed over time in most subjects, HVA/EVA phenotype constancy in the remaining subjects reliably reflected a low/high rate of progression of structural arterial stiffening. Hypertension and abnormal glucose metabolism were associated with constancy of the EVA phenotype, but treatment for these conditions failed to improve the phenotype. Low/high HR was a robust marker of the presence/constancy of the HVA/EVA phenotype. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Private grant(s) and/or Sponsorship. Main funding source(s): Omron Health CareTeijin Pharma