title: Arterial compliance in a group of normotensive and untreated hypertensive Cameroonian subjects in Yaounde.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Arterial compliance is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. It decreases with age and this decrease is accelerated by hypertension. The objectives were to determine the arterial compliance in a group of normotensive and untreated hypertensive stage 1, 2 and 3 Cameroonian subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2012 to February 2013 in Yaoundé. Our sample size was 88 participants. The PulsePen®device was used to determine cfPWV (carotid-femoral Pulse Wave Velocity) and central Augmentation Index % (AIx). Other measurements obtained were: blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), fasting glycaemia, lipid profile and serum creatinine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our sample's mean age was 35.48 years and ranged from 20 to 60 years. The means of: cfPWV, SBP, DBP, Pulse Pressure (PP) and Heart Rate (HR) showed a statistically significant increase (p-value < 0.05) across the groups from normotensive to severely hypertensive patients. cfPWV was significantly correlated (p-value< 0.05) to: Age, Central SBP, Central DBP, Central PP, HR, BMI and central Augmentation index (AIx). Furthermore, cfPWV was significantly dependent on LVH (p-value <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that arterial compliance decreases with increase severity of hypertension, indicating a higher risk of developing cardiovascular events in severely hypertensive patients.
authors: Medical & cardiology Unit, General Hospital Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors: Samuel
authors: S
authors: Kingue
authors: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.
authors: Joshua
authors: J
authors: Walinjom
authors: Medical & cardiology Unit, General Hospital Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors: Alain
authors: A
authors: Menanga
authors: Medical & cardiology Unit, General Hospital Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Mintom
authors: Medical Unit, Central Hospital Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors: Marie Ntep
authors: MN
authors: Ngweth
authors: National Advanced School of Engineering, Department of mathematics, Physics and Applied Statistics, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon.
authors: Fesuh
authors: F
authors: Betrand
authors: Medical & cardiology Unit, General Hospital Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors: Walinjom
authors: W
authors: Muna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002163:Cameroon; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Arterial compliance; Black African; hypertension; pulse-wave velocity