engleski

Increased arterial stiffness and central systolic blood pressure as indicators of impaired vascular function in hypercholesterolemic subjects

Introduction: It is well documented that high blood cholesterol is associated with impaired vascular function. In this study we investigated the relationship between serum cholesterol levels and parameters of vascular function specific for arterial stiffness such as augmentation index, pulse wave velocity, central and peripheral systolic blood pressures. Materials: From a larger Genome Wide Association Study we recruited 40 subjects with isolated hypercholesterolemia and a matching group of 40 healthy subjects (total blood cholesterol levels 7.17±0.63 vs. 4.35±0.57 mmol/l, and LDL 5.11±0.57 vs. 2.59±0.34 mmol/l). Central augmentation index (cAIX75), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and central (aortic) systolic blood pressure (cSBP) as indices of arterial stiffness were recorded with the Sphygmocor device (Atcor medical, Sydney Australia). Peripheral (brachial) blood pressure (pSBP) was measured with an aerial sphygmomanometer. Results: Values of cAIx75 were significantly higher in the hypercholesterolemic compared to the control group (16.34±12.98 vs. 7.67±8.60 %, p=0.0002). PWV values were also higher in hypercholesterolemic subjects in comparison with the control group (8.36±2.41 vs. 7.18±1.30 m/s, p=0.0149). Comparison of peripheral and central SBP pressures revealed no difference in pSBP (122.2±8.81 vs. 121.9±8.80, p>0.05) between hypercholesterolemic and control subjects whereas cSBP was significantly higher in hypercholesterolemic group (114.2±11.02 vs. 103.7±10.89 mmHg, p<0.0001). Conclusion: Impaired vascular function in subjects with hypercholesterolemia is evidenced through higher arterial stiffness relative to healthy controls in spite of similar pSBP values in all subjects. Our results indicate that pSBP is an unreliable marker of cholesterol associated impairment of vascular function.

Hyercholesterolemia; augmentation index; pulse wave velocity; blood pressure

nije evidentirano