Higher blood pressure increases arterial stiffness modified by blood glucose levels in a Chinese community-based study.

Increased arterial stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity is associated with cardiovascular disease. However, the rates at which brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and blood glucose accelerate within individuals who differ in blood pressure levels are largely unknown. This study was based on the baseline data of a Chinese community-based atherosclerosis cohort which included 7402 individuals. Using generalized linear regression models, the relationship between blood glucose levels and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, and the relationship between blood pressure levels and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity were examined. A marked interaction between hypertensive state and diabetic state was seen for brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity ( for interaction <0.001). The adjusted coefficient for subjects stratified by hypertensive groups and diabetic states showed that the highest brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity risk subjects were those who had both diabetes and hypertension (B=403.24; 95% CI: 372.43-434.05; <0.001). The participants with increased arterial stiffness demonstrate a high prevalence of higher blood pressure. When high blood glucose levels co-occur with high blood pressure levels, there is a remarkable increase in arterial stiffness.