title: Effects of smoking on arterial distensibility, central aortic pressures and left ventricular mass.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effects of smoking on central aortic pressures and the age-related increase in left ventricular mass (LVM) are largely unknown. We studied the relationship between smoking, arterial distensibility, central aortic pressures and left ventricular mass in two population-based studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was obtained from two German population-based studies (KORA and SHIP, participants' ages 25-84 years). We identified 114 normotensive current smokers and 185 normotensive all-time non-smokers in KORA as well as 400 and 588 such individuals in SHIP. Echocardiographic LVM was obtained at baseline (T0) and follow-up after ten years (T1) in KORA and at follow-up (T1) in SHIP. Additionally, pulse-wave analysis-based central aortic pressure and augmentation index (AIx) were measured at T1 in KORA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cross-sectional analysis, using KORA T0 and SHIP T1, revealed in both studies a higher covariate-adjusted LVM and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in smokers as compared with non-smokers. Moreover, in the KORA T1 examination, the smokers demonstrated a more pronounced increase, relative to baseline, of LVM (+13.5%) and LVMI (+13.4%) compared to non-smokers (+8.59% and +8.65%; p=0.036 and 0.042, respectively). Additionally, at KORA T1 smokers had a higher central systolic blood pressure and higher AIx than non-smokers (p=0.012 and p=0.001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The difference in central aortic pressure due to enhanced and more prolonged wave reflection may explain our finding of a further pronounced increase in left ventricular wall thickness and mass over time in smokers.
authors.affiliation: Department Study of Health in Pomerania/Clinical-Epidemiological Research, Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany. Electronic address: marcello.markus@uni-greifswald.de.
authors.forename: Marcello Ricardo Paulista
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Markus
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stritzke
authors.forename: Sebastian Edgar
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Baumeister
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Siewert
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baulmann
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hannemann
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schipf
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meisinger
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dörr
authors.forename: Stephan Burkhart
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Keil
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völzke
authors.forename: Hans-Werner
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Hense
authors.forename: Heribert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schunkert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D062186:Arterial Pressure; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Arterial stiffness; Central aortic pressures; Echocardiography; Left ventricular hypertrophy; Population-based study; Smoking