Influence of obesity in central blood pressure.
BACKGROUND
Obesity is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and has become a major concern in healthcare due to its high prevalence worldwide. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of BMI on central blood pressure (BP) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) in normotensive and hypertensive patients.


METHODS
Normotensive and hypertensive adult patients who attended the outpatient clinic of cardiovascular risk were included. Peripheral BP was obtained in the brachial artery by using an oscillometric device (OMRON M-6). Central aortic BP waveform was reconstructed from the radial artery pressure waveforms (SphygmoCor, AtCor Medical, Sydney, Australia) and central BP was calculated. Carotid-femoral PWV was measured by an automatic device (Complior, Artech, France).


RESULTS
We examined a total of 351 patients [50.7% women; 77 patients normal-weight (BMI < 25 kg/m)], 274 patients overweight or obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m). Central SBP showed a positive association with male sex and mean BP, but a negative association with overweight/obesity. PWV was positively associated with age, male sex, central BP, peripheral BP and BP treatment, whereas BMI of at least 25 kg/m led to a decrease in PWV in patients with the same central SBP levels. Likewise, PWV was lower in the overweight/obese group compared to the normal-weight group at the same central SBP.


CONCLUSIONS
Overweight and obesity tend to have lower central SBP as compared to lean patients, mainly in women. Further research is required to assess the interaction between body weight and vascular dynamics and their clinical implications.
aHypertension Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Hospital of Valencia, INCLIVA, University of Valencia bCIBEROBn, Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain cCardiovascular Risk Unit, Department of Pediatrics, General Hospital of Valencia, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Gernot
G
Pichler
Fernando
F
Martinez
Antonio
A
Vicente
Elena
E
Solaz
Oscar
O
Calaforra
Empar
E
Lurbe
Josep
J
Redon
D000368:Aged; D062186:Arterial Pressure; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009991:Oscillometry; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors