Frequency of early vascular aging and associated risk factors among an adult population in Latin America: the OPTIMO study

Abstract

The main objective was to estimate the frequency of early vascular aging (EVA) in a sample of subjects from Latin America, with emphasis in young adults. We included 1416 subjects from 12 countries in Latin America who provided information about lifestyle, cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), and anthropometrics. We measured pulse wave velocity (PWV) as a marker of arterial stiffness, and blood pressure (BP) using an oscillometric device (Mobil-O-Graph). To determine the frequency of EVA, we used multiple linear regression to estimate each subject's PWV expected for his/her age and systolic BP, and compared with observed values to obtain standardized residuals (z-scores). We defined EVA when z-score was ≥1.96. Finally, a multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine baseline characteristics associated with EVA. Mean age was 49.9 ± 15.5 years, male gender was 50.3%. Mean PWV was 7.52 m/s (SD 1.97), mean systolic BP was 125.3 mmHg (SD 16.7) and mean diastolic BP was 78.9 mmHg (SD 12.2). The frequency of EVA was 5.7% in the total population, 9.8% in adults of 40 years or less and 18.7% in those 30 years or less. In these young adults, multiple logistic regression analyses demonstrated that dyslipidemia and hypertension showed an independent association with EVA, and smoking a borderline association (p = 0.07). In conclusion, the frequency of EVA in a sample from Latin America was around 6%, with higher rates in young adults. These results would support the search of CVRF and EVA during early adulthood.

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Spanish Population and Its Relationship with Early Vascular Aging according to Sex and Age: EVA Study

“…The prevalence of EVA (16.6%) found in this study is higher than in the data published in the OPTIMO study [7], at 5.7%, and in those of the study carried out by Cunha et al [6], at 12.5%. However, it should be taken into account that the prevalence found in the previous studies are not comparable given the use of different criteria to define EVA, population distribution by age and sex, and the presence of risk factors, which reflects the need to establish a consensus and a common definition of EVA.…”

“…Therefore, the search for a definition of EVA is currently being addressed by numerous authors. Different definitions of EVA have also been published [5][6][7][8] in various papers using the highest cfPWV percentiles in their definitions. Recently Nilsson W et al [9] published the vascular aging index, integrating carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), which reflect arterial stiffness and subclinical atherosclerosis.…”

Association of Insulin Resistance with Vascular Ageing in a General Caucasian Population: An EVA Study

“…The prevalence of HVA and EVA has been analysed in previous studies [32,[40][41][42][43], all of which agree with the results of the present study, indicating that the prevalence of EVA is greater in men, and that of HVA is greater in women. However, the prevalence rates found between the studies are different and cannot be compared, because the cut-off points used, the mean age and the distribution by sex, as well as the prevalence of the different cardiovascular risk factors and race differ from one study to another.…”

Pharmacological Blockade of NLRP3 Inflammasome/IL-1β-Positive Loop Mitigates Endothelial Cell Senescence and Dysfunction

“…Senescent cells undergo functional and morphological changes that ultimately lead to growth arrest while remaining metabolically active. Importantly, these cells acquire a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which results in the over-production and release of a wide array of cytokines and chemokines [ 3 , 4 ]. The SASP favors leukocyte recruitment and is considered a main driver of sterile age-related inflammation or “inflammaging” [ 5 ].…”