CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS AND ARTERIAL STIFFNESS IN MEN AGED 41–43 YEARS

Objective: To study the relationship of individual cardiovascular risk factors with arterial stiffness and subclinical atherosclerosis. Design and method: The study is the part of a 32-year prospective cohort monitoring, beginning with childhood (11–12 years). The present cohort included 303 male subjects aged 41–43 years. Arterial stiffness (AS) was measured by aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) and arterial wave reflections (augmentation index, Alx) with the use of SphygmoCor (AtCor Medical). Intima-media thickness (IMT) and subclinical atherosclerosis were estimateded by ultrasonography methods both in left and right carotid arteries. Results: Hypertension (H) was detected in 37,9%. PWV was significantly higher in the group with H. The risk of H development depended on hypertension presence in mother and did not depend on the presence of H in father. H was associated with the development of obesity, especially of the abdominal type and increased level of triglycerides. PWV was positively correlated with systolic (r = 0.248, p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (BP) (r = 0.220, p < 0.001) measured on the brachial artery and with heart rate (r = 0.164, p < 0.01). A statistically significant positive correlation of the central aortic pressure (r = 0.326, p < 0.001) and central pulse pressure (r = 0.225, p < 0.001) with PWV was noted. When comparing arterial stiffness (AS) and duplex scan a correlation of mean IMT with the Alx (r = 0.134, p < 0.05) and augmentation pressure (r = 0.127, p < 0.05) was obtained, but no correlation between IMT and PWV was found. Correlation of AS with total cholesterol and glucose was also shown. Conclusions: The AS is closely related with H and develops already in the early stages, in a fairly young age. The AS in men group was not associated with the presence of dyslipidemia and diabetes melitus. The interrelation of arterial stiffness and the degree of early atherosclerotic vascular lesions is ambiguous.