Pulse pressure amplification in relation to body fatness.
BACKGROUND
Aortic-brachial pulse pressure amplification (PPA) is a measure of arterial elasticity and it is also an independent cardiovascular risk factor. The PPA is mainly determined by age, height, central and peripheral pressure waveforms characteristics, including measures of arterial stiffness and wave reflection.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, however, we demonstrate that PPA is also significantly associated with indirect indices of body fatness. As the body fatness is treatable, our findings might be used as a reference for future studies on the effects of body fat reduction on PPA and the PPA-related cardiovascular risk. AIMS Arterial pressure transfer to the periphery is accompanied by pulse pressure amplification (PPA). Pulse pressure is influence by body fat. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate any possible inter-relation between body fatness and PPA in healthy subjects.


METHODS
Haemodynamic and wave reflection indices were estimated by pulse wave analysis. Body fat was measured by bio-impedance.


RESULTS
A total of 367 healthy volunteers (136 men and 231 women) was studied. Pulse pressure amplification correlated significantly with percentage of body fat (r=-0.53, P < 0.0001), age (r=-0.62, P < 0.0001), height (r= 0.43, P < 0.0001), heart rate (r= 0.28, P < 0.0001) and mean blood pressure (r=-0.29, P < 0.0001). The association of PPA with body fat was also significant in a multiple linear regression model. Age was an independent predictor of PPA and analysis of study subjects subdivided into two groups, those <50 years and those >50 years showed that body fatness correlated inversely and significantly with PPA in individuals both younger and older than 50 years (r=-0.44, P < 0.0001, r=-0.37, P < 0.0001 respectively). Augmentation pressure was also associated significantly with percentage of body fat in both subgroups (r= 0.48, P < 0.0001 and r= 0.49, P < 0.0001 respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
This study performed on healthy subjects showed that pulse pressure amplification is related to body fatness over a wide age range. Percentage body fat is significantly associated with augmentation pressure, a component of central pulse pressure.
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology-Intensive Therapy Department of General, Gastroenterological and Endocrinological Surgery, University School of Medicine, 49 Przybyszewskiego, Poznan, Poland. awykreto@ptkardio.pl
Andrzej
A
Wykretowicz
Agnieszka
A
Rutkowska
Tomasz
T
Krauze
Dagmara
D
Przymuszala
Przemyslaw
P
Guzik
Ryszard
R
Marciniak
Henryk
H
Wysocki
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult