The Relationship Between Arterial Elasticity And Metabolic Syndrome Features

Abstract

PURPOSE To examine the effects of metabolic syndrome features on arterial elasticity of the large and small arteries in apparently healthy adults. METHODS The subjects for this study consisted of 126 men and women, aged 45 years and above. The subjects rested supine while pulse contour analysis was measured from the radial artery using an HDI/Pulsewave CR-2000 instrument (Hypertension Diagnostic, Inc.) to assess arterial elasticity in the large and small arteries. Medical history was obtained along with body mass index, waist circumference, body surface area, and blood pressure. RESULTS After adjusting for body surface area, large artery elasticity (13.3 ± 4.4 ml/mmHg × 10; mean ± SD) was related to waist circumference (r = 0.25, p = 0.005), body mass index (r = −0.30, p = 0.001), and the presence of hypertension (r = −0.23, p = 0.01). Similarly, adjusted small artery elasticity (4.3 ± 2.4 ml/mmHg × 100) was related to waist circumference (r = 0.23, p = 0.009), and the presence of hypertension (r = −0.25, p = 0.004), but not with body mass index (r = −0.09, p = 0.28). Using linear stepwise multiple regression, body mass index and the presence of hypertension were predictors of adjusted large artery elasticity (R = 0.59, R2 = 0.35, p = 0.009, SEE = 3.58 ml/mmHg × 10, and hypertension was a predictor of adjusted small artery elasticity (R = 0.50, R2 = 0.25, p = 0.004, SEE = 2.11 ml/mmHg × 100). CONCLUSIONS Adiposity and hypertension are the metabolic syndrome features that are most predictive of impairment in large and small artery elasticity. Supported by: National Institutes of Health (R01-AG-16685, M01-RR-14467).