The role of abnormal metabolic conditions on arterial stiffness in healthy subjects with no drug treatment

Background Subjects with abnormal metabolic conditions had increased risk for cardiovascular disease. We investigated the role of abnormal metabolic conditions on arterial stiffness in healthy subjects with no drug treatment. Methods A total 601 subjects (age 48.7 ± 11.8 years, male 46.2 %, hypertension 19.1 %) were enrolled. Major cardiovascular risk factors, metabolic conditions and parameters (pre-diabetes, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, fasting blood sugar (FBS), glycated hemoglobin), lipid profiles, hsCRP, and brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were measured. Results Subjects with metabolic syndrome ( n = 200) had higher baPWV than in subjects without metabolic syndrome ( n = 401) even after adjustments for age, sex and presence of hypertension (1435.9 ± 212.2 vs. 1336.5 ± 225.0 cm/sec, p < 0.001). The differences of baPWV among normal FBS, prediabetes and diabetes mellitus groups are significant ( P for trend = 0.036) by multivariate analysis (adjustments for age, sex, office systolic blood pressure). Subjects with diabetes mellitus ( n = 30) had higher baPWV than in subjects with normal FBS ( n = 384, 1525 ± 267.1 vs. 1341.5 ± 224.1 cm/sec, P = 0.016 adjustments for age, sex, office systolic blood pressure). BaPWV in subjects with prediabetes ( n = 187) was slightly higher, but not statistically significant than in subjects with normal FBS ( P = 0.377). Of interest, FBS was one of the independent predictors for increased baPWV ( β = 0.809, 95 % CI 0.222-1.397, p = 0.007) by multivariate analysis. Conclusions Subjects with abnormal metabolic conditions have increased arterial stiffness independent of age and BP which may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease.