Individual Assessment of Inherent Arterial Stiffness Using Nomogram and Pulse Wave Velocity Index: The Ohasama Study

Abstract

We measured the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in 491 normotensives and determined the “PWV index” (measured baPWV–theoretical baPWV) in 491 normotensives and 83 controlled hypertensives. Linear regression analysis revealed that the theoretical baPWV (cm/sec) was 0.21 × age² (years²)−13.73 × age (years) + 0.05 × mean arterial pressure² (mmHg²) + 3.95 × heart rate (bpm) + 36.49 × gender (1 male; 0 female) + 733 (R² = 0.53). The calculated PWV index was significantly higher in 13 smokers than 70 nonsmokers among controlled hypertensives. The calculated PWV index might provide more precise information about inherent arterial stiffness.

• arterial stiffness
• pulse wave velocity
• nomogram

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are grateful to the staff members of the Iwate Prefectural Stroke Registry and to the public health nurses in Ohasama for their valuable support of this project.

The work was supported by Grants for Scientific Research (15790293, 16590433, 17790381, 17790381, 18390192, 18590587, 19590929, and 19790423) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan; a Grant-in-Aid (H17-Kenkou-007, H18-Junkankitou [Seishuu]-Ippan-012, and H20-Junkankitou [Seishuu]-Ippan-009, 013) from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Health and Labor Sciences Research Grants, Japan; a Grant-in-Aid for Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) fellows (16.54041, 18.54042, 19.7152, 20.7198, 20.7477, and 20.54043), Tokyo, Japan; Health Science Research Grants and Medical Technology Evaluation Research Grants from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan; Japan Atherosclerosis Prevention Fund; the Uehara Memorial Foundation; the Takeda Medical Research Foundation; National Cardiovascular Research Grants; and Biomedical Innovation Grants.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.