Cocoa intake and arterial stiffness in subjects with cardiovascular risk factors

BACKGROUND To analyze the relationship of cocoa intake to central and peripheral blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and carotid intima-media thickness in subjects with some cardiovascular risk factor. FINDINGS DESIGN A cross-sectional study of 351 subjects (mean age 54.76 years, 62.4% males). MEASUREMENTS Intake of cocoa and other foods using a food frequency questionnaire, central and peripheral (ambulatory and office) blood pressure, central and peripheral augmentation index, pulse wave velocity, ambulatory arterial stiffness index, carotid intima-media thickness, and ankle-brachial index. RESULTS Higher pulse wave velocity and greater cardiovascular risk were found in non-cocoa consumers as compared to high consumers (p < 0.05). In a multivariate analysis, these differences disappeared after adjusting for age, gender, the presence of diabetes, systolic blood pressure and antihypertensive and lipid-lowering drug use. All other arterial stiffness measures (central and peripheral augmentation index, ambulatory arterial stiffness index, ankle-brachial index, and carotid intima-media thickness) showed no differences between the different consumption groups. CONCLUSIONS In subjects with some cardiovascular risk factors, cocoa consumption does not imply improvement in the arterial stiffness values. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT01325064.