Increased aortic pulse wave velocity is associated with the presence of angiographic coronary artery disease in overweight and obese patients.

BACKGROUND Increased arterial stiffness assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CFPWV) and central augmentation index (AIx), has been associated with a worse cardiovascular prognosis and increased prevalence of angiographic coronary artery disease (CAD). Obesity, a well-recognized cardiovascular risk factor, has been related to increased arterial stiffness, although not consistently. The aim of this work was to investigate the association of arterial stiffness indices with obesity measures in patients undergoing coronary angiography and to study any potential association of arterial stiffness with angiographic CAD in relation to obesity. METHODS Three hundred ninety-three patients with suspected stable CAD (aged 61±10 years; n = 303 men) referred for diagnostic coronary angiography were included. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and traditional cardiovascular risk factors were measured. Arterial stiffness was assessed by CFPWV and AIx using applanation tonometry in all patients. RESULTS CFPWV was not associated with obesity measures in multiple-adjusted logistic regression analysis (P > 0.05), whereas AIx was inversely associated with BMI and WC (P < 0.05 for both). Increased CFPWV was associated with CAD in overweight and obese patients (BMI ≥25kg/m(2); WC ≥94cm in men and ≥80cm in women; P < 0.05). No association of AIx with CAD was found (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Arterial stiffness indices were not consistently associated with obesity, opposite to what might have been expected. The association of increased CFPWV with the presence of angiographic CAD in patients with increased BMI or WC values warrants further research.