Title:Association of Low BMI with Aortic Stiffness in Young Healthy Individuals
Volume: 17
Issue: 3
Author(s): Satish G. Patil*, Sneha Arakeri and Vitthal Khode
Affiliation:
- Department of Physiology, SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, SDM University, Dharwad, Karnataka,India
Keywords:
Arterial stiffness, blood pressure, BMI, young, healthy, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
Abstract:
Background: Increased arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular
morbidity and mortality. It is unknown whether low BMI has any detrimental effect on the arterial
wall during young age.
Objectives: The present study was aimed to determine if low BMI can increase arterial stiffness in
young, healthy individuals.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on young, healthy subjects (n=100) with low
BMI <18.5 (n=50) and normal BMI: 18.5-24.9 (n=50) with ages ranging between 15-23 years.
BMI, heart rate, blood pressure, and arterial stiffness indices such as regional pulse wave velocity
(PWV) between brachial-ankle (baPWV), carotid-femoral (cfPWV), heart-ankle (haPWV), heartbrachial
(hbPWV) were measured.
Results: A significantly increased pulse pressure (p=0.014), baPWV (1059.2 ± 140.26 cm/s vs
994.66 ± 129.23 cm/s; p=0.019) and cfPWV (641.03 ± 113.83 cm/s vs 583.96 ± 120.48 cm/s;
p=0.017) was found in individuals with low BMI than normal BMI group. There was a significant
negative correlation between BMI and central arterial PWV. Further multiple regression analysis
showed that BMI was robustly associated with cf-PWV (p=0.004) and baPWV (p=0.016) even after
multiple adjustments with potential confounders using several models.
Conclusion: These findings show a significant increased aortic stiffness and pulse pressure in low
BMI subjects compared to those with normal BMI. Low BMI was inversely and independently associated
with central arterial or aortic stiffness. These findings suggest that low BMI may be a risk
factor for aortic stiffness in young, healthy individuals.