[Association of cardiovascular risk factors and small arterial elasticity].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the major cardiovascular risk factors affecting small arterial elasticity and the effect of combined multiple risk factors on it.


METHODS
Arterial elasticity indexes (C(1)-large artery and C(2)-small artery) were measured with CVProfilor DO-2020. The status of insulin resistance was evaluated with HOMA (homeostasis model assessment). Subjects were categorized into abnormal C(2) group and control group according to the level of C(2). The former group was further divided into four subgroups (0 to 3) based on the number of risk factors.


RESULTS
(1) The levels of age, total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein- cholesterol (LDL-C), fasting blood glucose (FBG), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in abnormal C(2) group were higher than those in control group, whereas C(2) itself was lower than that in control group (P all < 0.05). Age, TC, LDL-C, FBG, SBP and DBP were significantly inversely correlated with C(2). (2) With the clusters of risk factors increasing, C(2) was decreasing (6.5 +/- 2.6 vs 5.4 +/- 2.3 vs 4.7 +/- 2.7 vs 3.1 +/- 1.6, P < 0.001). C(2) decreased significantly in subjects with multiple risk factors (subgroup 3). (3) Fasting plasma insulin and HOMA-IR (insulin resistance index) were significantly higher in subgroup 3 than in the other subgroups (P < 0.05, P < 0.001 respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The elevations of age, TC, LDL-C, FBG, SBP and DBP were the major cardiovascular risk factors on the reduction of C(2), and the effects on it were continuously. With their concurrent effects, multiple risk factors could decrease small arterial elasticity much more significantly. Insulin resistance seems to be closely related to the clusters of multiple risk factors.
Li
Xin-li
XL
Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China. xinli3267@yeah.net
Jiang
Su-hua
SH
Zhang
Hai-feng
HF
Wang
Zhen-zhen
ZZ
Huang
Jun
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001160:Arterioles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002784:Cholesterol