Adiponectin, systolic blood pressure, and alcohol consumption are associated with more aortic stiffness progression among apparently healthy men.

Objective: Limited data are available about risk factors for the progression of aortic stiffness in healthy population. We examined several risk factors as possible independent predictors of aortic stiffness progression among a population-based sample of US men.

Methods: A total of 240 men (40-49 years) free of CVD at baseline from the Pittsburgh site of the ERA JUMP study were evaluated. Aortic stiffness was measured as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity at baseline and after 4.6 ± 0.2 (mean ± SD) years of follow-up. Progression of aortic stiffness was evaluated as relative annual change in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (% change/year). Using linear regression, both baseline potential risk factors and their annual changes were evaluated as possible risk factors for aortic stiffness progression. Baseline age, follow-up time, race, heart rate, and medications use were forced in all models.

Results: During follow-up, relative to baseline level, aortic stiffness increased 0.3% ± 5.3% per year. In final models, the independent predictors of degree of aortic stiffness progression were lower levels of adiponectin (P = 0.03), higher levels of systolic blood pressure (P = 0.03), greater annual change in systolic blood pressure (P = 0.04), and alcohol consumption ≥ 2 times/week (P = 0.02). Adiponectin levels within the third (9.8 μg/Ml ≤ adiponectin < 13.0 μg/mL) and the fourth (adiponectin ≥ 13.0 μg/mL) quartiles were associated with an improvement in relative annual aortic stiffness progression (P = 0.02, P = 0.01, respectively) compared to levels within the first quartile (adiponectin ≤ 7.0 μg/mL).

Conclusion: Among apparently healthy men, lower levels of baseline adiponectin could be a novel marker for greater risk of aortic stiffness progression. Longitudinal research is required to evaluate whether adiponectin change over time would have similar association with aortic stiffness progression.