Clinical Research
Clinical Research Papers
Race (Black-White) and Gender Differences in Brachial Artery Compliance and Cardiac Contractility in Healthy Yound Adults: The Bogalusa Heart Study
E.M. Urbina, A. Elkasbany, T. Brinton,
D. Walls, A.S. Pickoff, G.S. Berenson, Tulane Center for CV
Health, New Orleans, LA
Arterial
compliance (Cp) decreases with age and HTN. Reduced Cp leads to
increased SBP, pulse pressure (PP) and greater LV work resulting
in LVH, a risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and
mortality. It is not known if race and gender differences in Cp
exist which may influence the distribution of CV diseases. The
current study examined race and gender differences in brachial
artery Cp in a random sample of 775 healthy young adults with
previous CV risk factor data collected for the Bogalusa Heart
Study (40% male, 70% white, 18-38 years). BP, HR and brachial
artery pulse curve data were obtained using the DynaPulse 2000
instrument (Pulse Metric, Inc., San Diego, CA). Waveforms of
actual arterial pressure throughout the cardiac cycle are
recorded using an oscillo-metric technique. The calibrated
arterial pulse wave is incorporated into a physical model of the
CV system to calculate brachial artery Cp (ml/mmHg) and
peripheral resistance (BAPR, mmHg/L/min), and dPdT Lvmax
(mmHg/sec), a non-invasive estimate of cardiac contractility
validated with cardiac catherization data. Across all age ranges,
blacks had higher SBP and DBP than whites when analyzed by
gender. Females had higher HR than males. In this age range, Cp
decreased in females only (p<= 0.05).
White males had the highest Cp values with males significantly
higher than females (p<= 0.0001).
These trends remained when adjusted for MAP or PP or when Cp was
plotted as a function of PP. BAPR increased with age (p<= 0.02). Females had higher BAPR (p<= 0.006) with blacks greater than whites
when analyzed by gender (p<= 0.05).
Black males had the highest dP/Dt Lvmax with blacks significantly
higher than whites (p<= 0.001). When
adjusted for afterload (SBP), females had higher dP/Dt Lvmax than
males (p<= 0.0001) and contractility
decreased with age (p<= 0.05). It is
concluded that race and gender differences in Cp and cardiac
function exist which may influence the prevalence and expression
of diseases related to atherosclerosis.
Key Words: Compliance, Race, Gender, Contractility
*See American Journal of Hypertension
1997 Vol 10, No. 4, Part 2, pg. 207A.
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