title: Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity predicts increase in blood pressure and onset of hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) predicts longitudinal increases in blood pressure (BP) and new onset of hypertension in individuals with normal BP.
  
  
  METHODS
  baPWV was measured using a semiautomated device in 2,496 participants (27-84 years) without hypertension who visited our hospital for a yearly health check-up. They were followed up for 4 years with the endpoint being development of hypertension.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the follow-up period (median, 733 days; actual follow-up, 5,215 person-years), hypertension developed in 698 participants (133.8/1,000 person-years). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that risk for hypertension was increased across the tertiles of baseline baPWV. The hazard ratio (first tertile as reference) was 2.02 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.55-2.64) and 3.49 (95% CI 2.66-4.57) in the second and third tertiles, respectively, after adjustment for possible risk factors. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis adjusted for known risk factors, where baPWV was used as a continuous variable, also indicated that the baseline value of baPWV independently predicted new onset of hypertension (P < 0.001). Furthermore, baseline baPWV was significantly associated with a longitudinal increase in BP after adjustment for known risk factors in multiple regression analysis (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides the first evidence that baPWV is an independent predictor of longitudinal increases in BP as well as of new onset of hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Enshu Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takase
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dohi
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toriyama
authors.forename: Tateo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okado
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Hiroo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sonoda
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Genjiro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kimura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology*