In addition to insulin resistance and obesity, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome in Chinese--a population-based study (Taichung Community Health Study, TCHS).

Aim: To investigate the association between arterial stiffness (present with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV)) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a population-based study of middle-aged Chinese. Methods: MetS was defined using the AHA/NHLBI criteria. A total of 1,018 subjects aged 40 years and over were recruited in 2004. Homeostasis model assessment was applied to estimate the degree of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The baPWV was divided into four groups by quartiles. Results: The prevalence of MetS and its individual components increased by the increase in baPWV quartiles. After adjusting for age, BMI, HOMA-IR, smoking, alcohol drinking, betel nut chewing, and physical activity status, multiple logistic regression revealed that baPWV groups were significantly associated with MetS. Compared with the lowest baPWV quartile, the adjusted odds ratio of having MetS in baPWV quartile II, III, IV was 2.10 (1.03-4.28), 4.48 (2.16-9.26), 10.4 (4.53-24.0) in men, and 4.20 (1.47-12.0), 14.6 (5.22-40.6), 16.3 (5.48-48.2) in women, respectively. The prevalence of MetS increased with the increase of age, HOMA-IR, and BMI groups. The optimal cut-off values of baPWV for MetS were 1,539 cm/sec in men and 1,482 cm/sec in women, respectively. Conclusions: In addition to insulin resistance and obesity, baPWV was strongly related to MetS in middle-aged Taiwan Chinese. The cut-off value of baPWV for cardiovascular disease differed between genders.