Aims: This prospective observational study, which utilized repeated annual measurements performed over a 9-year period, applied mixed model analyses to examine age-related differences in longitudinal ...associations between alcohol intake and arterial stiffness, pressure wave reflection, and inflammation. Methods: In 4016 middle-aged (43±9 years) healthy Japanese male employees, alcohol intake, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), radial augmentation index (rAI), and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured annually during a 9-year study period. Results: The estimated marginal mean baPWV (non-drinkers=1306 cm/s, mild–moderate drinkers=1311 cm/s, and heavy drinkers=1337 cm/s, P＜0.01) and that of rAI showed significant stepped increases in an alcohol dose-dependent manner in the entire cohort, but an increase in rAI was not observed in subjects aged ≥ 50 years. The estimated slope of the annual increase in baPWV, but not rAI, was higher for heavy drinkers than for non-drinkers (slope difference, 1.84; P＜0.05), especially for subjects aged ＜50 years (slope difference, 2.84; P＜0.05). Conclusion: In middle-aged male Japanese employees, alcohol intake may attenuate inflammatory activity. While alcohol intake may exacerbate the progression of arterial stiffening in a dose-dependent manner without mediating inflammation, especially in subjects under 50 years of age, it may promote pressure wave reflection abnormalities with aging at earlier ages without further exacerbation at older ages.
OBJECTIVES:Increased arterial stiffness is currently recognized as an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation, although the pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to ...investigate the association of arterial stiffness with left atrial (LA) volume and phasic function in a community-based cohort.
METHODS:We included 1156 participants without overt cardiovascular disease who underwent extensive cardiovascular examination. Arterial stiffness was evaluated by cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). Speckle-tracking echocardiography was employed to evaluate LA phasic function including reservoir, conduit, and pump strain as well as left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS).
RESULTS:CAVI was negatively correlated with reservoir and conduit strain (r = −0.37 and −0.45, both P < 0.001), whereas weakly, but positively correlated with LA volume index and pump strain (r = 0.12 and 0.09, both P < 0.01). In multivariable analysis, CAVI was significantly associated with reservoir and conduit strain independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and LV morphology and function including LVGLS (standardized β = −0.22 and −0.27, respectively, both P < 0.001), whereas there was no independent association with LA volume index and pump strain. In the categorical analysis, the abnormal CAVI (≥9.0) carried the significant risk of impaired reservoir and conduit strain (adjusted odds ratio = 2.61 and 3.73 vs. normal CAVI, both P < 0.01) in a fully adjusted model including laboratory and echocardiographic parameters.
CONCLUSION:Arterial stiffness was independently associated with LA phasic function, even in the absence of overt cardiovascular disease, which may explain the higher incidence of atrial fibrillation in individuals with increased arterial stiffness.
Long-term noise exposure is reported to damage cardiovascular system, but the relationship between occupational noise exposure and arterial stiffness (AS) and the underlying mechanism is still ...unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of occupational noise exposure with arterial stiffness (AS), and further explore the mediation roles of microRNAs (miRNAs). A total of 838 workers were recruited from two companies in Wuhan, Hubei, China. Cumulative occupational noise exposure (CNE) was assessed through noise level of job title and work years in occupational noise. The AS for the participants were evaluated using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) measured by an oscillometric device. Each 1-unit increase in CNE levels was significantly associated with a 0.002 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.001–0.003) unit increase in ln-transformed values of baPWV. In the sex-specific analysis, the association was significant in males (β = 0.002, 95%CI = 0.001–0.003). Meanwhile, the risk of bilateral hearing loss at high frequency was significantly higher in the high-exposed group than non-exposed group (OR = 1.895, 95%CI = 1.024–3.508), and participants with bilateral hearing loss at high frequency had a significantly higher level of ln-transformed baPWV (β = 0.032, 95%CI = 0.003–0.061). Occupational noise exposure and AS were both negatively associated with plasma miR-92a-3p and miR-21–5p, and the two miRNAs mediated 15.0% and 16.8% of the association of occupational noise with AS (P < 0.05). Our findings suggest that occupational noise exposure is positively associated with AS, and plasma miR-92a-3p and miR-21–5p may partly mediate such association.
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•Occupational noise exposure is positively associated with arterial stiffness.•Bilateral high frequency hearing loss is positively associated with arterial stiffness.•Plasma miR-92a-3p and miR-21–5p mediated the association between occupational noise and arterial stiffness.
This cohort study investigated associations of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic dysfunction–associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) with risk of increase in arterial stiffness ...(AS), measured as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).
Participants who had health examinations between 2006 and 2019 were analyzed for fatty liver and increased baPWV using liver ultrasonography and automatic volume plethysmography device. Participants were classified based on presence of MAFLD or NAFLD and further divided into subgroups: no fatty liver disease (reference), NAFLD-only, MAFLD-only, and both NAFLD and MAFLD. Subgroups were additionally stratified by sex. Cox proportional hazard model was utilized to analyze the risk of developing baPWV ≥1400 cm/s in participants without baseline elevation of the baPWV. The NAFLD and MAFLD groups exhibited higher risks of increased baPWV (NAFLD: adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.35 95% CI, 1.29–1.42; MAFLD: aHR, 1.37 95% CI, 1.31–1.43) compared to group without the conditions. Incidence of NAFLD or MAFLD were higher in men than in women but aHR of developing the increase in AS was higher in women. In subgroup analysis, the MAFLD-only group presented the strongest associations with increase in AS (aHR, 1.53 95% CI, 1.43–1.64), with the trend more pronounced in women than in men (Women, aHR, 1.63 95% CI, 1.08–2.46; Men, aHR 1.45 95% CI, 1.35–1.56).
Both NAFLD and MAFLD are significantly associated with elevated AS. These associations tended to be stronger in MAFLD than in NAFLD, in women than in men.
•We analyzed 122,726 Korean population with health examination data from 2006 to 2019.•NAFLD and MAFLD are related to the risk of increased arterial stiffness measured by baPWV.•The numerical association was modestly more pronounced in MAFLD-only than in NAFLD-only, and in women than in men.
Prior studies have established the correlation between oxidative balance score (OBS) and hypertension (HTN). While the association between OBS and resistant hypertension (RHT) as well as arterial ...stiffness among individuals with hypertension remains undisclosed.
In this study, total of 15,910 adults diagnosed with hypertension were enrolled from NHANES 2001–2018. OBS was calculated and categorized into quartiles. Weighted regression model, stratified analyses and restricted cubic spine (RCS) were employed to evaluate the association between OBS and RHT, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and arterial stiffness in individuals with hypertension. Among enrolled participants, high OBS quartiles consistently demonstrated a negative association with resistant hypertension across all models (all p < 0.05), indicating robust stability. Compared with the lowest OBS quartile, the risk of resistant hypertension in the highest OBS quartile was decreased by 30.8% (95%CI 0.471–0.995, p = 0.049). After dividing OBS into dietary OBS and lifestyle OBS, a significant inverse association with lifestyle OBS and RHT was observed. With regard to MACEs, the inverse association was also found in participants with high OBS. Besides, the potential relation between OBS and arterial stiffness was explored and we found OBS was significantly associated with decreased arterial stiffness (β for ePWV, −0.014; 95%CI -0.026 to −0.001; p = 0.032). RCS analysis confirmed a nonlinear association between OBS and RHT, MACEs, cardiovascular death and nonfatal MI among participants with hypertension.
Elevated OBS was negatively associated with the risk of RHT and arterial stiffness among US adults with hypertension.
•Elevated Oxidative Balance Score (OBS) was significantly inversely associated with resistant hypertension, as well as arterial stiffness.•OBS is negatively associated with the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) among US adults with hypertension.•Adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle rich in antioxidants to increase the OBS may aid in blood pressure control and slow the progression from hypertension to adverse cardiovascular events.
BACKGROUND
Arterial stiffness measures are emerging tools for risk assessment and stratification for hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) is an ...established measure of central arterial stiffness. Other measures of PWV include femoral-ankle (faPWV), a measure of peripheral stiffness, and brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV), a composite measure of central and peripheral stiffness. Repeatability of central, peripheral, and composite PWV measures has not been adequately examined or compared.
METHODS
Participants (n = 79; mean age 75.7 years; USA) from a repeatability study nested within the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study visit 5 (2011–2013) underwent 2 standardized visits, 4–8 weeks apart. Trained technicians obtained 2 PWV measurements at each visit using the VP-1000 Plus system. We calculated the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), SE of measurement, and minimal detectable change (MDC95; 95% confidence interval) and difference (MDD).
RESULTS
The ICCs and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were 0.70 (0.59, 0.81) for cfPWV, 0.84 (0.78, 0.90) for baPWV, and 0.69 (0.59, 0.79) for faPWV. The MDC95 between repeat measures within an individual was 411.0cm/s for cfPWV, 370.6cm/s for baPWV, and 301.4cm/s for faPWV. The MDD for 2 independent samples of 100 per group was 139.3cm/s for cfPWV, 172.3cm/s for baPWV, and 100.4cm/s for faPWV.
CONCLUSIONS
Repeatability was acceptable for all PWV measures in a multicenter, population-based study of older adults and supports its use in epidemiologic studies. Quantifying PWV measurement variation is critical for applications to risk assessment and stratification and eventual translation to clinical practice.
Changes in arterial wall viscosity (AWW) and stiffness during type 2 diabetes (T2D) have been little investigated. We explored changes in carotid AWV considering change in arterial stiffness and ...loading conditions, in patients with T2D.
This cross-sectional, monocentric study compared 19 middle-aged patients with T2D to 30 non-diabetic (ND) controls. The absolute viscosity (WV) was determined as the area of the pressure-lumen cross-sectional area (P-LCSA) loop obtained by carotid tonometry and contralateral echo-tracking. The relative viscosity was determined as the ratio between WV and the elastic energy stored within the arterial wall (WV/WE). Carotid geometry, midwall stress, distensibility and elastic modulus were also compared between groups.
T2D patients were older and more frequently had hypertension. Internal diameter, mean central and pulse blood pressure were higher in T2D patients but midwall stress was similar compared to ND controls. WV and WV/WE were higher in T2D patients when compared with ND controls (23 16-41 vs. 11 7-18 mm Hg.mm2, p=0.007 and 21% 17-25 vs. 12% 8-17, p < 0.001 respectively) even after adjustment on confounding factors. Carotid arterial stiffness was higher in T2D patients, but after adjustment this difference was only observed for the highest levels of midwall stress.
Carotid AWV and stiffness are increased in T2D patients but only AWV is significantly increased after considering loading conditions. Whether this increase in energy dissipation within the arterial wall contributes to alter cardiovascular coupling in T2D remains to be established.
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•Carotid arterial wall viscosity (AWV) is increased in patients with T2D.•Increase in AWV during T2D could alter cardiovascular coupling.•Loading conditions should be considered when assessing carotid arterial stiffness.
Abstract Background Hypertension is often complicated by increased arterial stiffness and is an independent predictor of adverse cardiovascular (CV) outcome. Beta blockers and angiotensin receptor ...blockers (ARBs) are commonly used antihypertensive agents. The effect of beta blockers and ARBs on arterial stiffness has not been compared adequately. The aim of the present study is to compare the effect of telmisartan with metoprolol on arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients in prospective open label randomized parallel group intervention study. Methods 100 patients of hypertension, not on any antihypertensive agents, were enrolled after obtaining informed consent. Baseline recording of data related to demographics, CV risk factors, anthropometry and BP were made. Arterial stiffness was measured noninvasively by recording pulse wave velocity (PWV) using periscope (Genesis medical system). Left ventricular (LV) mass was measured using 2D guided M-mode echocardiography. Blood sugar, renal function, lipids and uric acid estimations were done in fasting state. Patients were randomized to receive metoprolol and telmisartan using stratified randomization technique. Dose of the study drugs were titrated to achieve target BP of <140/90 mmHg. Data related to PWV, BP, anthropometry and blood biochemistry was repeated after 6 months of treatment with study drugs. Results Telmisartan resulted in significantly greater reduction in arterial stiffness index (ASI) in left and right lower limb arterial bed (39.9 ± 11.7 vs. 46.8 ± 17.0 m/s, p < 0.02) and (36.4 ± 9.6 vs. 44.86 ± 15.1 m/s, p < 0.002) respectively and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (−4.9 mmHg with 95% C.I. of −8.0–1.7 mmHg, p < 0.003) compared to metoprolol. Reduction in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in telmisartan and metoprolol groups was not different statistically (−1.0 mmHg with 95% C.I. of −3.3–1.2 mmHg, p < 0.3). The change in LV mass was not significantly different between the study groups (135.5 ± 37.6 vs. 143.2 ± 41.5, p < 0.3).
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