High-normal blood pressure, impaired glucose regulation and metabolic syndrome have variable impact on central artery stiffness

Aims: This cross-sectional study compared carotid artery stiffness in metabolic syndrome (MS) subjects with high-normal blood pressure (HNBP) and/or impaired glucose regulation. Methods: Eighty-nine subjects (40M and 49F, 53.5 +/- 9.3 years) with either HNBP, impaired glucose regulation, or both were studied. The following measurements were included: risk factors for MS (waist circumference, blood pressure (BP), glucose, tryglycerides and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol), and carotid artery stiffness (Doppler ultrasound). Results: Forty-four subjects (20M and 24F) were classified as without MS (MS-) and 45 subjects (20M and 25F) as with MS (MS+). As expected, each component of MS was different between the groups (all p < 0.05). Arterial distensibility in MS+ was significantly lower than in MS- (0.152 +/- 0.010 vs. 0.181 +/- 0.009 1/mm Hg x 10(-2), p < 0.05), while P stiffness index was not different between the two groups (12.3 +/- 1.1 vs. 10.5 +/- 1.1 AU, p = 0.115). Multivariate analysis revealed that carotid artery stiffness was independently associated with resting HR together with age (both p < 0.05). Conclusions: These results show that, in subjects with HNBP and/or impaired glucose regulation: (1) the presence of MS decreases arterial distensibility of the carotid artery but do not increase beta stiffness index and (2) the presence of MS dose not synergistically increase carotid artery stiffness. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.