Cross-Sectional and 4-Year Longitudinal Associations Between Brachial Pulse Pressure and Common Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in a General Population

Abstract

Background and Purpose —The cross-sectional and 4-year longitudinal associations between brachial pulse pressure (PP) and ultrasound measurements of common carotid intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT) were assessed. Methods —A population of 957 volunteers aged 59 to 71 years was recruited from the electoral rolls of the city of Nantes (western France) and reexamined 4 years later. Longitudinal changes in PP and CCA-IMT were computed as the difference between 4-year follow-up and baseline values. Results —Baseline CCA-IMT and PP were positively associated in both age- and sex-adjusted analysis (partial correlation coefficient=0.20, P P P P Conclusions —This longitudinal study of a large population of relatively aged subjects suggests that elevated levels of PP are associated with the progression of CCA-IMT, and increased CCA-IMT is associated with PP widening. The nature of these relationships and whether atherosclerosis progression over time is involved or not in these associations merit further investigations.