Sedentary behaviour patterns and arterial stiffness in a Spanish adult population - The EVIDENT trial.

OBJECTIVE: Arterial stiffness is a contributor to the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. The aim of the study was to analyse the relationship between sedentary behaviour and arterial stiffness in a Spanish adult population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 1365 subjects belonging to the EVIDENT project. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour were measured objectively over 7 days using ActiGraph accelerometers. Thresholds of 10 consecutive minutes were used to estimate the daily sedentary time in bouts ≥10 min. Each interruption in sedentary time (counts/min ≥100) was considered a break. Arterial stiffness was evaluated using the B-pro device through the following indicators: radial Augmentation Index (rAIx), Ambulatory Arterial Stiffness Index (AASI), and central and peripheral pulse pressure (PP). RESULTS: We found a positive relationship between central and peripheral pulse pressure (office, 24 h, awake and sleep PP) and total sedentary time. These arterial stiffness parameters were also associated with sedentary time in bouts ≥10 min. Significance disappeared in both cases, however, after adjusting for MVPA and breaks per sedentary hour. Adults who reported fewer breaks per sedentary hour (25th percentile < 2 n/day) had higher levels of AASI, awake and sleep PP. CONCLUSIONS: In a medium-sized sample of adult attenders of community clinics our data showed that it seems to be important to avoid prolonged uninterrupted periods of sedentary time.

[Relationship between physical activity and hemodynamic parameters in adults]. / Relación entre la actividad física y parámetros hemodinámicos en adultos.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the relationship between physical activity, as assessed by accelerometer, with central and peripheral augmentation index and carotid intima media thickness (IMT) in adults. METHODS: This study analyzed 263 subjects who were included in the EVIDENT study. Physical activity was assessed during 7 days using the ActigraphGT3X accelerometer (counts/min). Carotid ultrasound was used to measure carotid IMT. The Sphygmo Cor System was used to measure central and peripheral augmentation index (CAIx and PAIx). RESULTS: Mean age 55.85±12 years; 59.30% female; 26.7 body mass index and blood pressure 120/77mmHg. Mean physician activity counts/min was 244.37 and 2.63±10.26min/day of vigorous or very vigorous activity. Physical activity showed an inverse correlation with PAIx (r=-0.179; P<.01) and vigorous activity day time with IMT(r=-0.174; P<.01), CAIx (r=-0.217; P<.01) and PAIx (r=-0.324; P<.01). After adjusting for confounding factors in the multiple regression analysis, the inverse association of CAIx with counts/min and the time spent in vigorous/very vigorous activity was maintained. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that both physical activity and time spent in vigorous or vigorous activity are associated with the central augmentation index in adults.

Glycemic index, glycemic load, and pulse wave reflection in adults.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Diets with a high glycemic index (GI), high glycemic load (GL), or both, increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. This study examined the association of GI and GL in a regular diet with the peripheral augmentation index (i.e., a marker of vascular aging) in a sample of adults. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cross-sectional study. The findings presented in this manuscript are a subanalysis of the EVIDENT study whose purpose was to analyze the relationship between lifestyle and arterial aging. For the sample population, 1553 individuals aged 20-80 years were selected through random sampling from the patients of general practitioners at six health centers in Spain. GI and GL for each patient's diet were calculated from a previously validated, semi-quantitative, 137-item food frequency questionnaire. The peripheral augmentation index corrected for a heart rate of 75 bpm (PAIx75) was measured with pulse-wave application software (A-Pulse CASP). Based on a risk factor adjusted regression model, for every 5 unit increase in GI, the PAIx75 increased by 0.11 units (95% CI: 0.04-0.19). Similarly, for every increase in 10 units in GL, the PAIx75 increased by 1.13 (95% CI: 0.21-2.05). High PAIx75 values were observed in individuals with diets in the third GI tertile (i.e., the highest), and lower PAIx75 values in those with diets in the first tertile (i.e., the lowest), (93.1 vs. 87.5, respectively, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: GI and GL were directly associated with PAIx75 values in adults without cardiovascular diseases regardless of age, gender, physical activity, and other confounders.

Relationship between electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy criteria and vascular structure and function parameters in hypertensive patients.

The objective of this study was to determine the electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) criterion that best correlated with vascular structure and function parameters in hypertensive patients. A cross-sectional study involving 347 hypertensive patients was performed. The mean age of the subjects was 54.9±11.8 years, and 61% were male. Electrocardiography was used to detect LVH based on the evaluation of 10 criteria, and we defined the voltage-duration product (VDP) complex criterion. The vascular structure was evaluated according to carotid intima-media thickness (C-IMT), and vascular function was evaluated according to pulse wave velocity (PWV), the ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI), the home arterial stiffness index, and the peripheral (PAIx) and central (CAIx) augmentation indices. LVH according to at least some electrocardiographic criteria was recorded in 29.10% of the patients (34.10% of females; 25.90% of males). The vascular structure and function parameters showed higher values in the hypertensive patients with LVH. The criterion most closely correlated with C-IMT was Lewis-VDP (r=0.257); with PWV and AASI, the criterion was the Framingham-adjusted Cornell voltage (r=0.228 and r=0.195, respectively); and with CAIx and PAIx, the criterion was Novacode (r=0.226 and r=0.277, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, the association of the vascular structure and function parameters, the VDP complex (multiple linear regression) and the presence of LVH (logistic regression) disappeared after adjusting for age, sex and antihypertensive drugs. The relationship between the electrocardiographic criteria used to detect LVH in hypertensive patients and the vascular structure and function parameters were fundamentally conditioned by age and antihypertensive drug treatment.

El papel de las venas de la retina en el riesgo cardiovascular / The role of the retinal veins in cardiovascular risk

Objetivo Analizar la relación del calibre de los vasos de la retina con el riesgo cardiovascular estimado en una muestra de sujetos hipertensos. Métodos Seleccionamos 202 pacientes hipertensos de 34 a 75 años. Con un retinógrafo Topcon TRC NW 200 se obtuvieron imágenes digitalizadas de la retina; mediante el software semiautomático AV Index Calculator se midió el grosor de los vasos temporales superior e inferior en una área de 0,5 a 1 diámetros del disco óptico y se calculó el índice arteriovenoso. El riesgo cardiovascular fue estimado con el Framingham-D’Agostino score. Se ha considerado riesgo bajo < 10%; riesgo moderado entre 10-20% y riesgo alto ≥ 20%. Resultados La edad media fue de 59,1 ± 8,4 años, siendo mujeres el 41,6% (84). Los grosores de las arterias y las venas tienden a incrementarse a medida que aumenta el riesgo, mientras que el índice arteriovenoso tiende a disminuir, aunque solo alcanza la significación estadística la diferencia de grosor de las venas entre los 3 grupos de riesgo. El calibre arterial y venoso tiene correlación positiva con el riesgo cardiovascular, aunque solo alcanza la significación estadística con el calibre venoso (r = 0,189; p < 0,010). Esta asociación se mantiene la regresión lineal múltiple, después de ajustar por edad y sexo. Conclusión Los hallazgos encontrados con esta nueva herramienta desarrollada para evaluar los vasos de la retina apoyan el papel más relevante que podría tener la valoración del calibre venoso, y no solo del arterial o el índice arteriovenoso, como se ha visto en estudios previos, en la evaluación del riesgo cardiovascular asociado a las alteraciones de la circulación retiniana (AU)

Objective To analyze the association between retinal vessel caliber and cardiovascular risk estimated in a sample of hypertensive patients. Methods We selected 202 hypertensive patients aged 34 to 75 years. Retinal photographs, obtained by Topcon TRC NW 200, were digitized, and superior and inferior temporal caliber vessel were measured in an area 0.5 to 1 disc diameter from the optic disc with semiautomatic software (AV Index Calculator), followed by calculation of the estimated arteriole/venule index. Cardiovascular risk was estimated through the Framingham-D’Agostino score. Risk was classified as follows: low risk < 10%, moderate risk 10-20%, and high risk ≥ 20%. Results The mean age of the patients was 59.1 ± 8.4 years and 41.6% (84) were women. The caliber of arterial and venous vessels tended to increase with higher cardiovascular risk, while the arteriole/venule index tended to decrease, but the only factor that was statistically significant was differences in caliber among the 3 cardiovascular risk groups. Arterial and venous caliber showed a positive correlation with cardiovascular risk, although this association was significant only for venous caliber (r=.189; P<.010). This association was maintained in a multiple linear regression model after adjustment by age and sex. Conclusion The findings with this new tool, which was developed to evaluate retinal vessels, indicate the importance of assessing venous caliber, and not just the arterial or arteriole/venule index, as in previous studies, when evaluating cardiovascular risk associated with changes in the retinal vessels (AU)

Diferencias de la ecuación CKD-EPI con la de MDRD para la estimación del filtrado glomerular en pacientes hipertensos / Differences in the CKD-EPI equation with MDRD for the estimation of glomerular filtration in hypertensive patients

Objetivo: Analizar las concordancias en el filtrado glomerular(FG) estimado con las ecuaciones de CKD-EPI y MDRDIDMS en una cohorte de pacientes hipertensos. Métodos: Se incluyeron 478 hipertensos consecutivamente, edad media57,58 años (DE = 12,34), el 68,3% hombres. La estimación del FG se realizó con las ecuaciones de MDRD-IDMS y CKD-EPI, valorando las concordancias entre ellas. Resultados: La estimación de FG con CKD-EPI fue 4,37 ml/min/1,73 m2 (IC 95%, 3,73-4,19) superior al MDRD-IDMS en global y por sexos (hombres3,99; mujeres 5,04). En menores de 65 años la diferencia fue mayor, 6,55 ml/min/1,73 m2 (IC 95%, 5,95-7,15), tanto en hombres(6,07) como en mujeres (6,48). Sin embargo, en mayores de 65 años no se encontró diferencia significativa. El coeficiente de correlación intraclase fue 0,904 (IC 95%, 0,886-0,919), en hombres 0,897 y en mujeres 0,917, y el índice kappa fue 0,848(IC 95%, 0,795-0,889), en hombres 0,845 y en mujeres 0,852.Conclusión: La ecuación de CKD-EPI estima un FG más alto en mayores de 65 años y reclasifica hacia estadio 1 a hipertensos catalogados en estadio 2 por MDRD-IDMS (AU)

Objective: To analyze the agreement in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimated with CKD-EPI and MDRD-IDMS equations in a cohort of hypertensive patients. Methods: We included consecutively 478 hypertensive patients, 57.58 (SD: 12.34)aged, 68.3% males. The estimation of GFR was performed with MDRD-IDMS and CKD-EPI equations and we analyzed the agreement between them. Results: The estimation of GFR with CKD-EPI was 4.37 (95%:3,73-4,19) mL/min/1,73 m2 higher than MDRD-IDMS, overall and by gender (males 3.99; females5.04). In patients under 65 years the difference was greater,6.55 (95%: 5,95-7,15) ml/min/1,73 m2 in both men 6.07 and women6.48. However, in over 65 years we found no significant difference. Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.904 (95%CI:0,886-0,919), 0.897 men and 0.917 women and Kappa index0.848 (95% CI: 0.795-0.889), 0.845 men and 0.852 women. Conclusion: CKD-EPI equation estimated a higher FG in hypertensive patients under 65 years and reclassified in stage 1 patients classified in stage 2 by MDRD-IDMS (AU)

[Differences between the CKD-EPI and the MDRD equations when estimating the glomerular filtration rate in hypertensive patients]. / Diferencias de la ecuación CKD-EPI con la de MDRD para la estimación del filtrado glomerular en pacientes hipertensos.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the agreement in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimated with CKD-EPI and MDRD-IDMS equations in a cohort of hypertensive patients. METHODS: We included consecutively 478 hypertensive patients, mean age 57.58 yr (SD: 12.34), 68.3% males. The estimation of GFR was performed with MDRD-IDMS and CKD-EPI equations and we analyzed the agreement between them. RESULTS: The estimation of GFR with CKD-EPI was 4.37 (95%:3.73-4.19) mL/min/1,73 m2 higher than MDRD-IDMS, overall and by gender (males 3.99; females 5.04). In patients under 65 years the difference was greater, 6.55 (95%:5.95-7.15) mL/min/1.73 m2 in both men 6.07 and women 6.48. However, we found no significant difference over 65 years. Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.904 (95% CI:0.886-0.919), 0.897 men and 0.917 women and Kappa index 0.848 (95% CI :0.795-0.889), 0.845 men and 0.852 women. CONCLUSION: CKD-EPI equation estimated a higher GFR in hypertensive patients under 65 years and reclassified in stage 1 patients classified in stage 2 by MDRD-IDMS.

[The increase in the speed of the pulse wave is not associated with elevated central blood pressure in hypertensive patients with kidney disease]. / El aumento de la velocidad de la onda de pulso no seasocia con la elevación de la presión arterial centralen hipertensos con enfermedad renal.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between pulse wave velocity (PWV) and central blood pressure evaluated by augmentation index (AIx) in hypertensive patients with kidney disease. METHODS: 406 hypertensive patients with normal renal function and 72 with kidney disease. Arterial stiffness was estimated with the PWV and the AIx. We followed the 2007 European Guidelines of Hypertension criteria to assess the presence or absence of kidney disease. RESULTS: PWV was 8.98 ± 2.15 and 10.17 ± 3.01 m/s (p <0.05) and AIx 30.06% ± 12.46 and 30.23% ± 12.56 (p >0.05) in hypertensive patients with normal renal function and kidney disease, respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed the renal function as an important determinant of PWV, but not AIx. CONCLUSION: In hypertensive patients with renal disease PWV is increased, but not the AIx. We believe that the AIx is not a reliable measure of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients with kidney disease.