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Ageing and blood pressure modulate the relationship between metabolic syndrome and aortic stiffness in never-treated

R El Feghali1, J Topouchian, B Pannier

  • 1The Cardiovascular Institute, 2, rue du Docteur-Blanche, 75016 Paris, France.

Diabetes & Metabolism
|March 6, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Metabolic syndrome (MS) significantly increases arterial stiffness in untreated hypertensive patients. This effect is independent of age and blood pressure, worsening with more risk factors, particularly after age 47.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Metabolic Disorders
  • Hypertension Research

Background:

  • Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of risk factors impacting cardiovascular health.
  • Arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events.
  • Untreated hypertensive patients represent a key population for studying cardiovascular risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MS) and arterial stiffness.
  • To assess the impact of MS components on pulse wave velocity (PWV) in untreated hypertensive individuals.
  • To determine if MS influences arterial stiffness independently of age and systolic blood pressure (SBP).

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional, multi-center study involving 46 centers across 14 countries.
  • Recruited 440 untreated essential hypertensive patients (55% male, aged 18-73).
  • Assessed MS risk factors and arterial stiffness via carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV).

Main Results:

  • MS was significantly correlated with PWV (R=0.2, P<0.001).
  • PWV was higher in women.
  • After adjusting for age and SBP, MS independently increased PWV, with a more pronounced effect in patients over 47 years old.
  • Increased PWV was strongly associated with the number of MS components (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Metabolic syndrome (MS) independently elevates arterial stiffness in untreated hypertensive patients.
  • The degree of arterial stiffness increase is proportional to the number of MS risk factors.
  • MS demonstrates an aging effect on arterial stiffness, particularly in individuals over 47 years old.
Abstract

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