Impaired artery elasticity predicts cardiovascular morbidity and mortality- A longitudinal study in the Vara-Skövde Cohort

Abstract

It is still debated whether arterial elasticity provides prognostic information for cardiovascular risk beyond blood pressure measurements in a healthy population. To investigate the association between arterial elasticity obtained by radial artery pulse wave analysis and risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in men and women. In 2002–2005, 2362 individuals (men=1186, 50.2%) not taking antihypertensive medication were included. C2 (small artery elasticity) was measured using the HDI/Pulse Wave CR2000. Data on acute myocardial infarction or stroke, fatal or non-fatal, was obtained between 2002–2019. Cox- regression was used to investigate associations between C2 and future CVD, adjusting for confounding factors such as age, sex, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance), LDL- cholesterol, CRP (C-Reactive Protein), alcohol consumption, smoking and physical activity. At baseline, the mean age of 46 ± 10.6 years and over the follow-up period, we observed 108 events 70 events in men [event rate: 5.9%], 38 in women [event rate: 3.2%]. In the fully adjusted model, and for each quartile decrease in C2, there was a significant increase in the risk for incident CVD by 36%. (HR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.01–1.82, p = 0.041). The results were accentuated for all men (HR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.21–2.50, p = 0.003) and women over the age of 50 years (HR = 1.70, 95% CI: 0.69–4.20). We showed a strong and independent association between C2 and CVD in men. In women after menopause, similar tendencies and effect sizes were observed.