PS-C29-8: EFFECT OF WEIGHT GAIN ON ARTERIAL STIFFNESS AND PRESSURE WAVE REFLECTION: A 9-YEAR LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Abstract

Background and Aim: Obesity is a causal factor for conventional risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and these risk factors affect increased arterial stiffness and also abnormal pressure wave reflection in arterial tree. Even so, because of the potent direct influences of these risk factors on arterial stiffness and pressure wave reflection, the direct effect of obesity on these vascular abnormalities has been still controversial. Then, the present study examined the effect of weight gain on those vascular abnormalities. Methods and Results: In 4016 middle-aged (43 ± 9 years) healthy Japanese men without CVD at the study baseline, body weight, risk factors for CVD, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and radial augmentation index (rAI) were measured at the baseline and end of study period (mean duration of follow-up was 6.3 years). The study subjects were divided into 3 groups by the change of BMI during the study period. While the change of baPWV in the highest tertile range of increase in BMI (57 ± 138 cm/sec) was larger than that in the lowest tertile range of increase in BMI (46 ± 136 cm/sec)(P < 0.05), these differences were not significant after the adjustment of changes of blood pressure. In addition, the change of rAI was similar between both groups. Conclusions: Weight gain may affect increase in arterial stiffness rather than abnormal pressure wave reflection, and this effect may be mediated by increase in blood pressure related to weight gain rather than the direct effect of weight gain.