Association between four-limb blood pressure differences and arterial stiffness: a cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Vascular Physiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Inter-arm blood pressure difference (IAD) and inter-ankle blood pressure difference (IAND) are indicators of cardiovascular risk, but their prevalence and associations require further investigation.
• Controversy exists regarding the clinical significance of IAD and IAND in assessing cardiovascular disease risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of IAD and IAND in a large Chinese population.
• To explore the correlation between IAD and IAND with arterial stiffness and systolic blood pressure.

Main Methods:

• Measured four-limb blood pressure, IAD, IAND, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and ankle-brachial index (ABI) in 12,176 participants.
• Utilized multivariate logistic regression to analyze the relationship between increased IAD/IAND and arterial stiffness/blood pressure.
• Adhered to STROBE guidelines for reporting observational studies.

Main Results:

• Prevalence rates for IAD ≥10 mmHg, ≥15 mmHg, and ≥20 mmHg were 15%, 5%, and 2% respectively. For IAND, rates were 37%, 22%, and 14% for the same thresholds.
• Higher IAD and IAND (≥10 mmHg) were associated with significantly higher baPWV, systolic blood pressure (SBP), hypertension prevalence, male gender ratio, body mass index, and pulse rate, along with lower ABI.
• Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between IAND ≥10 mmHg and baPWV (OR=1.117), but not for IAD ≥10 mmHg.

Conclusions:

• Limb blood pressure differences, including IAD and IAND, are closely related to arterial stiffness and systolic blood pressure.
• These differences provide valuable insights for a more comprehensive assessment of cardiovascular risk.
• IAND demonstrates a significant association with arterial stiffness (baPWV) in the studied population.