Cross-sectional Study of Differential Effects with Age on Non-Invasive Central Hemodynamics and Peripheral Arterial Stiffness of Healthy People in Beijing Communities

OBJECTIVE:To observe the variation of central hemodynamics and peripheral arterial stiffness in different ages and to investigate the parameters of differential effects in younger individuals (≤60y) and older individuals (>60y).METHODS:We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study in eight regions by random cluster sampling, from April to July 2014 in Beijing, China.Central hemodynamics and peripheral arterial stiffness parameters were determined in 861 healthy (372 male), normotensive individuals, aged 20 to 91(56±14) years.The main observed indexes were central systolic blood pressure (cSBP), arterial augmentation index (AI), augmentation pressure (AP), heart-ankle pulse wave velocity (haPWV) and brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV). Subjects were divided into six groups by 10 aged segment.Differences between groups and age tendency were observed.RESULTS:The mean values of cSBP, AI, AP, haPWV and baPWV were (113±12) mmHg, (90±18)%, (-5±9) mmHg, (987±144) cm/s and (1 382±254) cm/s, respectively.cSBP, AI, AP, haPWV and baPWV increased with age (P<0.001). In average, cSBP, baPWV and haPWV increased 3 mmHg, 97 cm/s and 62 cm/s by additional 10 years, respectively.cSBP, AI and AP increased slowly after 60 years old, while haPWV and baPWV increased significantly with age (P<0.001). Stepwise regression analysis showed: cSBP was mainly relevant with mean arterial pressure(b=0.990, P<0.001), while baPWV and haPWV were relevant with age(b=8.858, 5.971; P<0.001). AI and AP were associated with height and rest heart rate (b=-0.676, -0.660 and b=-0.361, -0.341, P<0.001). Individuals were divided into two groups by age 60.The age-related changes in AI were significant in under 60-year-old; while the changes in baPWV were more prominent in over 60-year-old.However there was no significant difference in cSBP between two groups.CONCLUSIONS:In healthy people, there are obvious differences of age tendency in central hemodynamics and peripheral arterial stiffness parameters.AI might be a good predictor of cardiovascular disease for early stage, especially for early coronary artery disease.