PP.28.01] ASSOCIATION OF VISCERAL FAT OBESITY WITH SYSTOLIC PRESSURE AND ARTERIAL STIFFNESS

Abstract

Objective: Obesity is an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. However, the relationship between obesity and arterial stiffness remains controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of visceral fat obesity on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in a screened cohort. Design and method: A cross-sectional study of baPWV and visceral fat area (VFA) with 2,813 participants aged 21-84 years (mean 55 ± 12 years, 50% women) from health checkups was conducted. VFA was measured at the umbilical level by computed tomography. The baPWV and blood pressures were measured using a validated automatic device. Results: The prevalence of visceral fat obesity (VFA > = 100 cm2), abdominal obesity (waist circumference (WC), > = 80 cm in women, > = 90 cm in men), and overweight or obese (body mass index (BMI) > = 25 kg/m2) were 46%, 63%, and 48%, respectively. VFA, WC, and BMI were positively associated with systolic pressure before and after multivariable adjustment. In univariate analyses, systolic pressure (r = 0.67, P < 0.001) and age (r = 0.61, P < 0.001) showed a strong positive correlation with baPWV; pulse rate (r = 0.28, P < 0.001), VFA (r = 0.23, P < 0.001), and WC (r = 0.08, P < 0.001) showed a weak positive correlation; whereas BMI did not show any significant correlation. In multivariate analyses, however, all these indices of obesity exhibited a weak negative association with baPWV after adjustment for sex, age, systolic pressure, and heart rate. Conclusions: Visceral fat obesity was not systolic pressure-independently associated with increased aortic stiffness. Adverse effects of visceral fat obesity on arterial stiffness is largely depend on increase of systolic pressure.