title: Age dependency of central and peripheral systolic blood pressures: cross-sectional and longitudinal observations in European populations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As arteries become stiffer with ageing, reflected waves move faster and augment late systolic pressure. We investigated the age dependency of peripheral and central systolic pressure, pressure amplification (peripheral systolic blood pressure - central systolic blood pressure), and peripheral and central systolic augmentation (maximal systolic pressure minus the first peak of the pressure wave).
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomly recruited 1420 White Europeans (mean age, 41.7 years). peripheral systolic blood pressure and central systolic blood pressure were measured by means of an oscillometric sphygmomanometer and pulse wave analysis, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In cross-sectional analyses (731 women, 689 men), central systolic blood pressure and central systolic augmentation increased more with age than peripheral systolic blood pressure and peripheral systolic augmentation. These age-related increases were greater in women than men. The age-related decrease in pressure amplification was similar in both sexes. In longitudinal analyses (208 women, 190 men), the annual increases in central systolic blood pressure and central systolic augmentation were steeper (p < 0.001) than those in peripheral systolic blood pressure and peripheral systolic augmentation with no sex differences (p ≥ 0.068), except for peripheral systolic augmentation, which was larger in women (p = 0.002). Longitudinally, pressure amplification decreased more with age in women than men (p = 0.012). In multivariable-adjusted analyses, age was the overriding determinant of peripheral systolic blood pressure and central systolic blood pressure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With ageing, peripheral systolic blood pressure approximates to central systolic blood pressure. This might explain why in older subjects peripheral systolic blood pressure becomes the main predictor of cardiovascular complications.
authors: The First Department of Cardiology and Hypertension, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Wiktoria
authors: W
authors: Wojciechowska
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Stolarz-Skrzypek
authors: Valérie
authors: V
authors: Tikhonoff
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Richart
authors: Jitka
authors: J
authors: Seidlerová
authors: Marcin
authors: M
authors: Cwynar
authors: Lutgarde
authors: L
authors: Thijs
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Tatiana
authors: T
authors: Kuznetsova
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Filipovský
authors: Edoardo
authors: E
authors: Casiglia
authors: Tomasz
authors: T
authors: Grodzicki
authors: Kalina
authors: K
authors: Kawecka-Jaszcz
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: O'Rourke
authors: Jan A
authors: JA
authors: Staessen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012737:Sex Factors; D019722:Sphygmomanometers; D013599:Systole; D014655:Vascular Resistance; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology*