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The relationship of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity to future cardiovascular disease events in the general Japanese population: the Takashima Study

Abstract

Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is a non-invasive measure of arterial stiffness obtained using an automated system. Although baPWVs have been widely used as a non-invasive marker for evaluation of arterial stiffness, evidence for the prognostic value of baPWV in the general population is scarce. In this study, we assessed the association between baPWV and future cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence in a Japanese population. From 2002 to 2009, baPWV was measured in a total of 4164 men and women without a history of CVD, and they were followed up until the end of 2009 with a median follow-up period of 6.5 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) for CVD incidence according to baPWV levels were calculated using a Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for potential confounding factors, including seated or supine blood pressure (BP). During the follow-up period, we observed 40 incident cases of CVD. In multivariable-adjusted model, baPWV as a continuous variable was not significantly associated with future CVD risk after adjustment for supine BP. However, compared with lower baPWV category (<18 m s−1), higher baPWV (18.0 m s−1) was significantly associated with an increased CVD risk (HR: 2.70, 95% confidence interval: 1.18–6.19). Higher baPWV (18.0 m s−1) would be an independent predictor of future CVD event in the general Japanese population.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the members of this study for their contribution. This study was supported in part by grants from the Research on Cardiovascular Disease (3A-1, 6A-5 and 7A-2) and Comprehensive Research on Cardiovascular and Lifestyle-related Diseases (H18-CVD-Ippan-029) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare; a research grant from the Japan Arteriosclerosis Prevention Fund; by Omron Health Care Co. Ltd; by the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C-213670361, B-17390186, B-20390184, 24390165, 17015018 and 20790424) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science; and by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas of Cancer (number 17015018) and Innovative Areas (number 221S0001) from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

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Correspondence to N Takashima.

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The Takashima Study is partially supported by Omron Health Care Co. Ltd, but all authors have full access to all the data and take responsibility for their integrity and the accuracy of the analysis. The sponsor of the study had no role in the study design, conduct of the study, data collection, data interpretation or preparation of the report.

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All authors contributed to the study concept, design, analysis, interpretation of data and preparation of the manuscript.

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Takashima, N., Turin, T., Matsui, K. et al. The relationship of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity to future cardiovascular disease events in the general Japanese population: the Takashima Study. J Hum Hypertens 28, 323–327 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2013.103

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