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[Relationship between the augmentation index of central artery pressure and health examination data]
1Hoshizaki Clinic of Daido Steel Co., Daido-cho, 2-30 Minami-ku, Nagoya 457-8545, Japan.
Insights
Arterial stiffness, measured by augmentation index (AGI), is linked to cardiovascular risks. Age, smoking, and high diastolic blood pressure are key predictors of arteriosclerosis, suggesting AGI
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Vascular Biology
- Preventive Cardiology
Background:
- Arteriosclerosis significantly contributes to cardiovascular disease risk.
- The augmentation index (AGI) quantifies systemic arterial stiffness using aortic pressure waveforms.
- Assessing arterial stiffness is crucial for cardiovascular risk stratification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between augmentation index (AGI) and various health parameters.
- To identify predictors of arteriosclerosis in a working population.
- To evaluate the utility of AGI in assessing arterial stiffness and guiding health promotion.
Main Methods:
- Measured AGI using SphygmoCor in 156 employees (125 males, 31 females).
- Analyzed health examination data, including age, blood pressure, smoking habits, and metabolic markers.
- Utilized stepwise regression analysis to identify independent predictors of arteriosclerosis.
Main Results:
- Females exhibited significantly higher AGI than males.
- In males, smoking was associated with higher AGI.
- Hypertension and hypertensive retinopathy correlated with elevated AGI.
- Age and diastolic blood pressure were significant predictors of AGI in both sexes.
- High AGI group (≥24%) was older and had higher diastolic blood pressure and hypertension rates compared to the low AGI group (≤23%).
- Age, smoking habit, and diastolic blood pressure emerged as independent predictors of arteriosclerosis.
Conclusions:
- The augmentation index (AGI) is a valuable parameter for assessing central arterial stiffness.
- AGI can aid in identifying individuals at higher risk for arteriosclerosis.
- Findings support the use of AGI in guiding public health promotion strategies for cardiovascular risk reduction.
Abstract:
Arteriosclerosis is one of the major determinant of cardiovascular risks. The augmentation index (AGI) is a measure of systemic arterial stiffness derived from the ascending aortic pressure waveform. We examined the relationship between the AGI of the aorta measured by SphygmoCor (A + CorMedical Ltd. Australia) and the data from the health examination of 125 males and 31 females working for a steel company. In females the AGI was significantly higher than that in males. As the subjects were males and females significantly different in age, smoking habit, blood pressure, and other conditions, these data were analyzed separately for males and females. In males, smokers had a high AGI. Employees with hypertension had a significantly higher AGI than employees with normotension. The employees with hypertensive retinopathy had a higher AGI. The studies indicated that AGI was associated with age and diastolic blood pressure in both males and females. The items of age, volume of alcohol consumption per day and the health examination results such as BMI, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, and the body fat ratio of employees in the high AGI group (AGI:24% or more) n = 39 and low AGI group (AGI:23% or less) n = 86 were compared. The results suggested that employees with high AGI were older and had higher diastolic blood pressure than employees with low AGI. In the high AGI group, the percentage of employees with hypertension was significantly higher than that in the low AGI group. These results of stepwise regression analysis indicated that age, smoking habit and diastolic blood pressure were significant and independent predictive factors for arteriosclerosis. AGI of the central artery is considered to be a useful parameter for assessing arteriosclerosis and for guiding health promotion.