Pulse Wave Velocity Progression Determinants: No Significant Association with Novel Lipids Parameter

Introduction: Whether novel lipid parameters are related to arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity-PWV), changes during follow-up (i.e ΔPWV) has never been evaluated. Aim: To evaluate the relationship between standard and emerging lipid parameters (non-HDL/HDL, LDL/HDL, total cholesterol/HDL, TG/HDL, Log(TG)/HDL, Log(TG/HDL) and the triglyceride-glucose index [TyG]) and ΔPWV among hypertensive patients. Methods: We included 469 hypertensive patients enrolled from September 2006 to October 2010 from the Hypertension Unit of San Gerardo Hospital (Monza, Italy). PWV was measured at baseline and after a mean follow-up of 3.8 years (I-III quartiles 3.5–4.2 years) and the relative change (ΔPWV) was calculated. Results: The study cohort had a mean age of 53.6 ± 12.9 years and 58.4% were male. PWV significantly increased from baseline to follow-up (8.6 ± 2.1 vs. 9.2 ± 2.4 m/s; p=0.0001), with 51.6% of patients exhibiting a ΔPWV≥0.5 m/s. These patients had a significantly lower HDL cholesterol (51.5 ± 13.5 vs. 54.7 ± 13.3 mg/dL) with higher LDL/HDL ratio (2.5 ± 0.9 vs. 2.3 ± 0.9 p=0.049), non-HDL/HDL ratio (3.0 ± 1.1 vs. 2.8 ± 1.1), total cholesterol/HDL ratio (4.0 ± 1.1 vs. 3.8 ± 1.1), Log(TG)/HDL (0.043 ± 0.015 vs. 0.039 ± 0.014) and Log(TG/HDL) (0.351 ± 0.290 vs. 0.295 ± 0.278, p<0.05 for all comparison). A significant univariate association was found between ΔPWV and ΔPWV≥0.5 and Log(TG)/HDL (r = 0.121, p = 0.009 and r = 0.094, p = 0.042, respectively) but it didn’t persist at multivariable analysis adjusted for age, sex, Δ systolic blood pressure, anti-hypertensive therapies and statins, diabetes, and glomerular filtration rate. Conclusions: Our study found no significant associations between emerging lipid parameters and PWV/ΔPWV. Age and blood pressure values remains the main determinants of PWV and its changes over time.