Cross-sectional and 4-year longitudinal associations between brachial pulse pressure and common carotid intima-media thickness in a general population: The EVA study

Abstract

Background and Purpose - The cross-sectional and 4-year longitudinal associations between brachial pulse pressure (PP) and ultrasound measurements of common carotid intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT) were assessed. Methods - A population of 957 volunteers aged 59 to 71 years was recruited from the electoral rolls of the city of Nantes (western France) and reexamined 4 years later. Longitudinal changes in PP and CCA-IMT were computed as the difference between 4-year follow-up and baseline values. Results - Baseline CCA-IMT and PP were positively associated in both age- and sex-adjusted analysis (partial correlation coefficient=0.20, P<0.001) and in multivariate analysis adjusted for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and mean blood pressure (partial correlation coefficient=0.18, P<0.001). In longitudinal analysis, baseline PP was associated with the change in 4-year CCA-IMT (partial correlation coefficient=0.11, P<0.001), and baseline CCA-IMT was a predictor of the 4- year change in PP (partial correlation coefficient=0.10, 0.001