Associations of large artery structure and function with adiposity: Effects of age, gender, and hypertension. The SardiNIA Study

In the context of obesity epidemic, no large population study has extensively investigated the relationships between total and abdominal adiposity and large artery structure and function nor have such relationships been examined by gender, by age, by hypertensive status. We investigated these potential relationships in a large cohort of community dwelling volunteers participating the SardiNIA Study. Methods and results: Total and visceral adiposity and arterial properties were assessed in 6148 subjects, aged 14-102 in a cluster of 4 towns in Sardinia, Italy. Arterial stiffness was measured as aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV), arterial thickness and lumen as common carotid artery (CCA) intima-media thickness (IMT) and diameter, respectively. We reported a nonlinear relationship between total and visceral adiposity and arterial stiffness, thickness, and diameter. The association between adiposity and arterial properties was steeper in women than in men, in younger than in older subjects. Waist correlated with arterial properties better than BMI. Within each BMI quartile, increasing waist circumference was associated with further significant changes in arterial structure and function. Conclusion: The relationship between total or abdominal adiposity and arterial aging (PWV and CCA IMT) is not linear as described in the current study. Therefore, BMI- and/or waist-specific reference values for arterial measurements might need to be defined.