The missing link between inflammation and arterial stiffness among different metabolic phenotypes.

Abstract

Although metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) has begun to be seen as a being benign phenomenon, this conclusion is still not completely certain. Obesity is also associated with low-grade systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Thus, we aimed to assess Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) as a marker of arterial stiffness and CV risk among individuals with MHO, metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO), and metabolically healthy normal-weight (MHN). 150 participants (n=50 MHO, n=50 MUO, n=50 MHN) who had been admitted to our outpatient clinics were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Demographic, anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory data, including hs-CRP and PWV, were recorded for all subjects. hs-CRP and PWV were higher in MUO and MHO than MHN individuals (P<.05). hs-CRP showed a strong positive correlation with PWV (r=0.85, P<.001). After adjusting for other risk factors, multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the PWV was independently associated with BMI (β=0.08, P=.03), WC (β=0.04, P=.04) and hs-CRP (β=6.08, P<.001). PWV, which is an important non-invasive marker of cardiovascular risk, is higher in MHO than in MHN as in MUO individuals. Moreover, PWV was positively correlated with the serum hs-CRP level as a conventional marker for systemic inflammation. Thus, MHO can be seen as a cardiometabolic risk marker.