Simple renal cysts are associated with increased arterial stiffness in a Taiwanese population

Arterial stiffness has been found to be a predictive risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Simple renal cysts are associated with prehypertension, hypertension, diabetes, and increased serum creatinine, which are risk factors of cardiovascular events. The aim of this work was to clarify the association between simple renal cysts and arterial stiffness defined by the brachial and ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Subjects with and without simple renal cysts had right baPWV values of 1522.8 ± 357.5 cm/s and 1344.2 ± 268.8 cm/s, respectively (p < 0.001). Based on multiple linear regression analysis, the presence of simple renal cysts was associated with increased baPWV values (p < 0.001). Both the size and the number of simple renal cysts were positively associated with an increased baPWV value. Subjects with a cyst size ≥2 cm (p < 0.001) and a cyst number ≥2 (p < 0.01) had higher baPWV values than those without SRCs. Simple renal cysts are associated with increased arterial stiffness.