Arterial elasticity and oxidized LDL among men with metabolic syndrome and different 10-year cardiovascular risk estimated by FINRISK and SCORE models

Figures & data

Figure 1. Large (C1) and small (C2) arterial elasticity among low-, medium-, and high-risk subjects according to FINRISK (A) and SCORE (B) models at the actual age. A: C1 was 18.5 ± 3.2 mL/mmHg × 10 among low-risk (<5%; n = 26), 16.4±4.1 mL/ mmHg × 10 among medium-risk (5%–14.99%; n = 36), and 14.8±4.5 mL/mmHg × 10 among high-risk (≥ 15%; n =17) subjects according to FINRISK at the actual age. C2 was 10.1 ±3.6 mL/mmHg × 100, 6.7±3.0 mL/mmHg × 100, and 4.9±2.0 mL/mmHg × 100, respectively. B: C1 was 17.6±3.6 mL/mmHg × 10 among low-risk (<3%; n = 44), 17.2±4.1 mL/ mmHg × 10 among medium-risk (3%–4.99%; n = 20), and 13.6±4.4 mL/mmHg × 10 among high-risk (>5%; n = 15) subjects according to SCORE at the actual age. C2 was 8.4 ± 3.7 mL/mmHg × 100, 7.3 ±3.4 mL/mmHg × 100, and 4.6 ± 2.1 mL/ mmHg × 100, respectively.

Table I. Demographics of the subjects with medium (5%–14.99%) or high (≥ 15%) 10-year cardiovascular risk according to the FINRISK model at the projected age of 60.

	Medium risk n = 35	High risk n = 44	P
Age, years	46.5 ± 8.1	50.5 ± 8.0	0.030
Waist circumference, cm	111.0 ± 10.4	116.5 ± 14.7	NS
BMI, kg/m^2	31.4 ± 4.7	33.2 ± 5.4	NS
SBP, mmHg	131.5 ± 10.6	145.2 ± 14.9	< 0.001
DBP, mmHg	79.0 ± 7.2	84.7 ± 8.9	0.003
MetS variables according to NCEP:
waist circumference > 102 cm, n (%)	31 (88.6%)	41 (93.2%)	NS
blood pressure ≥ 130/85, n (%)	35 (100.0%)	44 (100.0%)	NS
HDL-C < 1.03 mmol/L, n (%)	21 (60.0%)	18 (40.9%)	NS
triglycerides ≥ 1.7 mmol/L, n (%)	33 (94.3%)	40 (90.9%)	NS
glucose ≥ 6.1 mmol/L or diabetes, n (%)	14 (35.0%)	33 (75.0%)	0.002
Diabetics, n (%)	2 (5.7%)	26 (59.1%)	< 0.001
Hypertension, n (%)	15 (42.9%)	23 (52.3%)	NS
Family history of CVD, n (%)	14 (40.0%)	23 (52.3%)	NS
Physical activity, kcal/day	198.3 ± 159.6	205.8 ± 240.4	NS
Alcohol intake, g/day	12.9 ± 10.5	19.0 ± 19.1	NS
Smoking:			NS
current, n (%)	4 (11.4%)	14 (31.8%)
former, n (%)	19 (54.3%)	15 (34.1%)
never, n (%)	12 (34.3%)	15 (34.1%)
Fasting glucose, mmol/L	6.18 ± 1.3	7.33 ± 2.1	0.001
HbA1C:			0.002
(%)	5.82 ± 0.7	6.46 ± 1.0
(mmol/mol)	41.5 ± 5.0	46.1 ± 7.1
Total cholesterol, mmol/L	5.44 ± 0.9	6.18 ± 1.2	0.003
HDL-C, mmol/L	1.10 ± 0.2	1.19 ± 0.3	NS
LDL-C, mmol/L	3.53 ± 0.9	3.90 ± 1.0	NS
Triglycerides, mmol/L	2.42 ± 1.2	3.09 ± 2.4	NS

Figure 2. Large (C1) and small (C2) arterial elasticity (A) and oxidized LDL (oxLDL) (B) among medium- and high-risk subjects according to the FINRISK model at the projected age of 60. C1 was 18.9 ±3.3 mL/mmHg × 10 among medium-risk (5%–14.99%; n = 35) and 15.1 ± 4.0 mL/mmHg × 10 among high-risk (≥ 15%; n = 44) subjects. C2 was 8.6 ±3.6 mL/mmHg × 100 and 6.5 ± 3.4 mL/mmHg × 100, respectively. OxLDL was 70.7 ± 38.1 U/L among medium-risk and 94.8 ± 32.1 U/L among high-risk subjects.

Figure 3. Large (C1) and small (C2) arterial elasticity (A) and oxidized LDL (oxLDL) (B) among medium- and high-risk subjects according to the SCORE model at the projected age of 60. C1 was 20.0±3.0 mL/mmHg×10 among medium-risk (3%–4.99%; n = 19) and 15.7 ±3.9 mL/mmHg × 10 among high-risk (>5%; n = 60) subjects. C2 was 7.6±3.4 mL/mmHg × 100 and 7.3±3.7 mL/mmHg × 100, respectively. OxLDL was 70.1 ± 35.8 U/L among medium-risk and 88.8 ± 36.0 U/L among high-risk subjects.

Table II. Cardiovascular risk factors included in the multivariate analyses of circulating levels of oxidized LDL and arterial elasticity (n = 120).

	Mean	(SD)
Covariates	(if not mentioned otherwise)
Age, years	50.7	(8.1)
Current/former smokers, n (%)^a,b	25/58	(21.2%/49.2%)
Diabetics, n (%)^a	49	(40.8%)
Family history of CVD, n (%)^a	62	(51.7%)
Diagnosed CVD, n (%)^a	17	(14.2%)
Statin medication, n (%)^a	35	(29.2%)
Physical activity, kcal/day	185.8	(198.1)
LDL-C, mmol/L	3.3	(1.1)
HDL-C, mmol/L	1.2	(0.3)
Triglycerides, mmol/L	2.5	(1.8)
Pulse pressure, mmHg	56.9	(8.1)
Waist circumference, cm	113.2	(12.4)

^aDichotomous covariate was used (0 if no, 1 if yes).

^bSmoking was dichotomized as no (0), if never and yes (1), if former/current smoker but also as no if never/former and yes if current.

Neither of these was selected as a significant covariate to the final models.

Table III. Final models of the multivariate analyses of oxidized LDL (oxLDL) as well as large (C1) and small (C2) arterial elasticity. The β values of significant covariates as well as adjusted R² and P values of the models are presented.

	β	R^2	P
OxLDL, U/L		0.29	<0.001
Triglycerides, mmol/L	3.54
LDL-C, mmol/L	17.20
Physical exercise, kcal/day	−0.04
Constant	22.07
C1, mmHg/mL × 10		0.50	<0.001
Pulse pressure, mmHg	−0.33
Diabetes^a	−1.18
Waist circumference, cm	0.11
Constant	23.71
C2, mmHg/mL × 100		0.33	<0.001
Age, years	−0.22
Pulse pressure, mmHg	−0.08
Constant	22.17

^aDichotomous covariate was used (0 if no, 1 if yes).