Associations between arterial elasticity and markers of inflammation in healthy older women.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the associations between circulating markers of inflammation and arterial elasticity in healthy older women. Participants were 50 women older than 60 years of age, body mass index 27 ± 4, and physically untrained. Large artery elasticity, small artery elasticity, systemic vascular resistance, total vascular impedance, estimated cardiac output, and estimated cardiac index were determined using pulse contour analysis. Serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin 6 were assessed. Results from Pearson's correlation revealed that tumor necrosis factor-α was inversely associated with large artery elasticity (-.426, p < .01) and estimated cardiac index (-.324, p < .05) and positively associated with systemic vascular resistance (.386, p < .01) and total vascular impedance (.416, p < .01). Additionally, C-reactive protein was inversely associated with large artery elasticity (-.308, p < .01). The overall implication was that tumor necrosis factor-α and C-reactive protein appear to be critical inflammatory cytokines associated with reductions in arterial elasticity in older women.