Thresholds of Central Systolic Blood Pressure in a Normotensive Chinese Middle-Aged Population

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Hypertension Research

Background:

• Central systolic blood pressure (CSBP) is increasingly recognized as a more significant predictor of cardiovascular (CV) disease risk compared to brachial blood pressure.
• Current guidelines lack agreed-upon CSBP threshold values for increased CV disease risk.
• Establishing population-specific CSBP thresholds is crucial for accurate risk stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define the threshold values of central systolic blood pressure (CSBP) in a normotensive Chinese population.
• To identify age- and sex-specific 90th percentile cutoff values for CSBP.
• To provide a reference for assessing elevated CSBP in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 10,012 adults aged 35-65 years, with hypertension excluded.
• A final normotensive reference sample of 6,247 participants was used.
• Abnormally high CSBP was defined as exceeding the 90th percentile of age- and sex-specific values.

Main Results:

• The 90th percentile cutoff value for CSBP was determined to be 125 mm Hg in men and 126 mm Hg in women.
• CSBP was significantly higher in individuals with diabetes, a history of CV disease, and hyperlipidemia (P < .001).
• CSBP values demonstrated a significant positive correlation with increasing age (P < .001).

Conclusions:

• The 90th percentile CSBP threshold values in the normotensive Chinese middle-aged population are 125 mm Hg for men and 126 mm Hg for women.
• These findings provide critical reference points for identifying individuals at potentially higher CV risk.
• Further research may refine CSBP thresholds and their clinical application in diverse populations.