title: Arterial Stiffness in a Rural Population of Argentina: Pilot Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aortic stiffness evaluated through pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurement is nowadays accepted as a reliable parameter to estimate cardiovascular risk. However the data about arterial stiffness in South America come from urban populations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between PWV changes and ageing and to identify the rate of change in each decade of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  PWV was measured in the carotid-femoral pathway in 400 inhabitants of Vela town and clinical parameters were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes was 33.5, 17.5, 5% respectively. PWV was positively correlated with age (r: 0.817, p = 0.01) and was greater after the fifth decade of life (9.72 ± 2.2 vs. 5.87 ± 1.55 m/s; p: 0.001) than in youngers than 50 years, respectively. The risk (odds ratio) of having PWV >10 m/s was higher in hypertensives (OR: 50, p = 0.001), older than 50 years (OR: 44, p = 0.001), diabetics (OR 9.5, p = 0.001) and dyslipidemic patients (OR: 5, p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study in a rural population of Argentina which determines the relationship of PWV with age and cardiovascular risk. PWV shows a slower growth in subjects less than 50 years compared to older adults with a strong relationship to the process of arterial aging, the development of hypertension and cardiovascular risk.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences (UNICEN), National Council of Technical and Scientifical Research (CONICET), 4 de Abril 618, 7000, Tandil, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. alejandrounicen@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences (UNICEN), National Council of Technical and Scientifical Research (CONICET), 4 de Abril 618, 7000, Tandil, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Matías
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tringler
authors.affiliation: Favaloro University (AIDUF-CONICET), Solís 453, 1078, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Cintia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.affiliation: Favaloro University (AIDUF-CONICET), Solís 453, 1078, Buenos Aires, Argentina.|Arterial Hypertension and Metabolic Unit, University Hospital, Fundación Favaloro, Belgrano 1782 P: 4, 1093, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Agustín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.affiliation: Favaloro University (AIDUF-CONICET), Solís 453, 1078, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Edmundo Ignacio Cabrera
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Arterial stiffness; Epidemiology; Pulse wave velocity; Rural population