Association between resting heart rate and arterial stiffness in Korean adults.
BACKGROUND
Higher resting heart rate, a simple and useful indicator of autonomic balance and metabolic rate, has emerged as an independent predictor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the association between resting heart rate and arterial stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).


METHODS
We examined the association between resting heart rate and baPWV in 641 Korean adults (366 men, 275 women) in a health examination program. A high baPWV was defined as greater than 1450 cm/s (>75th percentile). The odds ratios for high baPWVs were calculated using multivariable logistic regression analysis after adjusting for confounding variables across heart rate quartiles (Q1<or=56, Q2=57-62, Q3=63-68, Q4>or=69 beats/min).


RESULTS
Age-adjusted baPWV mean values increased gradually with heart rate quartile (Q1=1281, Q2=1285, Q3=1354, Q4=1416 cm/s). The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for high baPWVs in each heart rate quartile were 1.00, 1.28 (0.57-2.86), 2.63 (1.20-5.79) and 3.66 (1.66-8.05), respectively, after adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, alcohol intake, exercise, body mass index, hypertension medication, diabetes medication, hyperlipidaemia medication, mean arterial blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, white blood cell count, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase and uric acid.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that a higher resting heart rate is independently associated with arterial stiffness. Accordingly, early detection of increased resting heart rate is important for preservation of arterial function and assessment of cardiovascular risk.
Park
Byoung-Jin
BJ
Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Lee
Hye-Ree
HR
Shim
Jae-Yong
JY
Lee
Jung-Hyun
JH
Jung
Dong-Hyuk
DH
Lee
Yong-Jae
YJ
D000328:Adult; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D044466:Asian People; D001794:Blood Pressure; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D056910:Republic of Korea; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors