[Association between sleep duration and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity]

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Sleep Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Arterial stiffness, measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), is a predictor of cardiovascular events.
• Sleep duration is a modifiable lifestyle factor with potential implications for vascular health.
• Understanding the relationship between sleep patterns and arterial stiffness is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between varying sleep durations and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).
• To determine if short sleep duration is an independent risk factor for elevated baPWV in a large cohort.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 38,604 employees from the Kailuan Group, aged 51.6±11.1 years.
• Participants were categorized into five sleep duration groups: ≤5, >5–≤6, >6–≤7, >7–≤8, and >8 hours.
• Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between sleep duration and baPWV (≥14 m/s), adjusting for numerous confounding factors.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of elevated baPWV (≥14 m/s) was highest in the shortest sleep duration group (≤5 hours) at 63.5%.
• Compared to the reference group (>7–≤8 hours sleep), individuals sleeping ≤5 hours had an adjusted OR of 1.48 (95% CI 1.29-1.70).
• Individuals sleeping >5–≤6 hours also showed a significantly increased risk of elevated baPWV, with an adjusted OR of 1.18 (95% CI 1.07-1.30).

Conclusions:

• Short sleep duration (≤6 hours) is significantly associated with elevated brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).
• These findings suggest that insufficient sleep is a potential risk factor for arterial stiffness in middle-aged Chinese adults.
• Promoting adequate sleep duration may be beneficial for maintaining vascular health and preventing cardiovascular disease.