Associations between plasma total homocysteine, blood pressure stages and pulse wave velocity in Chinese rural community population

Figures & data

Table I. Baseline characteristics of 2148 Chinese rural community people according to quartiles of brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) level.

Variables	Total (n = 2148)	Quarter of ba-PWV (cm/s)				p-value
		≤ 1331 (n = 534)	1331–1498 (n = 537)	1498–1755 (n = 540)	≥ 1755 (n = 537)
Age	62.5 ± 7.5	58.3 ± 6.4	60.9 ± 6.4	63.4 ± 6.7	67.4 ± 6.6	< 0.001
Male %	778 (36.2%)	169 (32.3%)	213 (40.8%)	195 (37.6%)	201 (38.1%)	0.037
Current smoke %	441 (20.5%)	96 (18.0%)	128 (23.8%)	109 (20.2%)	108 (20.1%)	0.121
BMI (kg/m^2)	22.8 ± 3.6	22.9 ± 3.3	22.4 ± 3.4	23.2 ± 3.7	22.7 ± 3.6	0.005
SBP (mmHg)	126 ± 19	112 ± 12	120 ± 14	129 ± 16	141 ± 20	< 0.001
DBP (mmHg)	79 ± 10	75 ± 9	78 ± 9	80 ± 10	83 ± 11	< 0.001
Heart rate (beats/min)	77 ± 11	75 ± 10	76 ± 10	78 ± 10	81 ± 12	< 0.001
FPG (mmol/l)	6.14 ± 1.95	5.78 ± 1.50	5.93 ± 1.50	6.35 ± 2.42	6.46 ± 2.16	< 0.001
ALT (U/l)	19 ± 12	19 ± 13	19 ± 11	19 ± 11	19 ± 14	0.970
TC (mmol/l)	5.14 ± 1.02	5.02 ± 1.02	5.02 ± 0.95	5.20 ± 1.03	5.29 ± 1.05	< 0.001
TG (mmol/l)	1.63 ± 1.13	1.43 ± 0.93	1.54 ± 1.08	1.69 ± 1.18	1.86 ± 1.29	< 0.001
HDL-C (mmol/l)	1.49 ± 0.36	1.50 ± 0.35	1.51 ± 0.35	1.50 ± 0.37	1.47 ± 0.36	0.168
UA (umol/l)	305 ± 81	285 ± 70	299 ± 77	305 ± 80	324 ± 91	< 0.001
eGFR (ml/min)	79.0 ± 14.4	82.6 ± 13.5	81.6 ± 13.0	78.7 ± 14.9	74.3 ± 15.5	< 0.001
tHcy (mmol/l)	14.17 ± 4.70	12.98 ± 3.51	13.71 ± 4.36	14.00 ± 4.39	15.77 ± 5.90	< 0.001

BMI, body mass index; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; FPG, fasting plasma glucose; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; TC, total cholesterol; TG, total triglyceride; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; UA, uric acid; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; tHcy, total homocysteine.

Table II. Univariate and multivariate associations of brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) with cardiovascular risk factors.

Variables	Univariate analysis			Multivariate regression (R^2 = 0.525)
	β	SE	p-value	β	SE	p-value
Age	21.05	1.04	< 0.001	18.35	0.90	< 0.001
Sex	4.78	17.21	0.781	54.64	15.17	< 0.001
SBP	10.09	0.37	< 0.001	8.74	0.31	< 0.001
Heart rate	8.24	0.74	< 0.001	5.02	0.55	< 0.001
FPG	28.63	4.25	< 0.001	11.85	2.99	< 0.001
TC	27.39	8.19	< 0.001	10.97	7.11	0.123
TG	45.35	7.29	< 0.001	12.50	6.45	0.055
HDL-C	− 45.91	23.25	0.048	33.32	20.26	0.100
UA	0.69	0.10	< 0.001	0.33	0.09	< 0.001
eGFR	− 5.75	0.60	< 0.001	1.013	0.50	0.053
tHcy	18.58	1.72	< 0.001	5.32	1.37	< 0.001

SBP, systolic blood pressure; FPG, fasting plasma glucose; TC, total cholesterol; TG, total triglyceride; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; UA, uric acid; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; tHcy, total homocysteine.

Figure 1 Association between total homocysteine (tHcy) and brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) in different blood pressure (BP) stages. Q1, quartile of tHcy 1; Q2, quartile of tHcy 2; Q3, quartile of tHcy 3; Q4, quartile of tHcy 4. *p for trend < 0.05.

Table III. Regression analysis of brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) with different blood pressure (BP) stages.

	Model 1		Model 2
	β (SE)	p-value	β (SE)	p-value
Optimal BP	–	–	–	–
Normal BP	113 (16)	< 0.001	101 (16)	< 0.001
High normal BP	217 (18)	< 0.001	193 (19)	< 0.001
Grade 1 HTN	436 (16)	< 0.001	413 (16)	< 0.001

Model 1: regression was done with adjustment for age, sex. Model 2: regression was done with adjustment for age, sex, smoking status, BMI, heart rate, TC, TG, HDL-C, FPG, UA, eGFR, and tHcy. β, regression coefficient; SE, standard error; HTN: hypertension; BMI, body mass index; TC, total cholesterol; TG, total triglyceride; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; FPG, fasting plasma glucose; UA, uric acid; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; tHcy, total homocysteine.

Table IV. Association between total homocysteine (tHcy) and brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) according to different blood pressure (BP) stages.

	Model 1			Model 2			p-value for interaction
	β	SE	p-value	β	SE	p-value
Optimal BP	3.70	2.09	0.078	2.55	2.06	0.215	0.746^a
Normal BP	5.66	2.74	0.039	6.71	2.87	0.019
Optimal BP	3.70	2.09	0.078	2.55	2.06	0.215	0.045^b
High normal BP	12.22	1.76	< 0.001	9.88	1.69	< 0.001
Optimal BP	3.70	2.09	0.078	2.55	2.06	0.215	0.037^c
Grade 1 HTN	13.11	2.63	< 0.001	10.37	2.28	< 0.001

^aInteraction between optimal BP and normal BP stage; ^bInteraction between optimal BP and high normal BP stage; ^cInteraction between optimal BP and grade l HTN stage. Model 1: regression was done with adjustment for age, sex. Model 2: regression was done with adjustment for age, sex, smoking status, BMI, heart rate, TC, TG, HDL-C, FPG, UA and eGFR. β, regression coefficient; SE, standard error; tHcy, total homocysteine; HTN: hypertension; BMI, body mass index; TC, total cholesterol; TG, total triglyceride; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; FPG, fasting plasma glucose; UA, uric acid; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate.