4D.02: ACCELERATED VASCULAR AGING. (June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vlachopoulos, C.; Terentes-Printzios, D.; Xaplanteris, P.; Ioakeimidis, N.; Aznaouridis, K.; Pietri, P.; Stefanadis, C.; Tousoulis, D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of hypertension. Volume 33(2015)Supplement 1
• Publication Date: 2015-06
• Subjects: Hypertension -- Periodicals; Hypertension -- Periodicals; 616.132005
• DOI: 10.1097/01.hjh.0000467506.98460.f9
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1473-5598

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: Vascular aging, as assessed by structural and functional properties of the arteries, is an independent indicator of cardiovascular risk. We investigated the effect of cardiovascular risk factors (RFs) on the progression of vascular aging. Design and method: One hundred and forty-two subjects (mean age 51.9 ± 10.8 years, 94 men) attending the Peripheral Vessels Unit with no established cardiovascular disease were investigated in two examinations over a 2-year period (mean follow-up visit 1.84 years). Subjects were classified at baseline according to their number of cardiovascular RFs (from zero to two and more). The RFs were hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking and diabetes. Subjects had at the beginning and end of the study determinations of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), aortic augmentation index corrected for heart rate (AIx75), brachial flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). Based on these measurements the annual absolute changes were calculated. Results: Subjects with more RFs had a gradual higher annual progression of cfPWV (0.092 m/s for no RF, 0.153 m/s for 1 RF and 0.316 for more than 2 RFs; p = 0.03) after adjusting for age, gender, baseline waist circumference and annual change of mean blood pressure heart rate and renal function. (Figure) Subjects with more RFs had a trend for a gradual higher annual deterioration of FMD (-0.04% for no RF, -0.14% for 1 RF and -0.51% for more than 2 RFs; p = 0.11) after adjusting for age, gender and baseline FMD. Annual progression of AIx75 between groups was not statistically significant. However, when only subjects <55 years where considered the progression rate was significantly higher in subjects with more RFs (1.04% vs. 1.52% vs. 3.15%, respectively, p = 0.02). Subjects with more RFs did not show an association with a gradual higher annual deterioration of cIMT. There was also a trend for a statistical association between the annual rate of PWV and FMD (P = 0.07). Figure. No caption available. Conclusions: The presence of more RFs is associated with accelerated progression of vascular aging.