High glomerular filtration rate is associated with arterial stiffness in Chinese population

OBJECTIVES: Decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) has been suspected as a risk factor for arterial stiffness. Whether high GFR is the risk factor of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular disease remains uncertain. We aim to evaluate the association between high estimated GFR (eGFR) and arterial stiffness in Chinese adults. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study involving 9136 Chinese adults without chronic kidney disease. Arterial stiffness was measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and pulse pressure (PP). We divided participants into four groups according to age-specific quartiles of eGFR. Renal hyperfiltration (RHF) was defined with the highest age-specific quartile of eGFR. The odds ratios (ORs) of elevated baPWV and PP were estimated using multivariate logistic regression models and were further tested using propensity score matching analysis between participants with or without RHF. RESULTS: RHF was associated with 11 and 32% higher risk of elevated baPWV and PP in age-adjusted models, P = 0.35 and 0.005, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, RHF was significantly associated with 23 and 39% increased risk of elevated baPWV and PP, P = 0.01 and 0.001, respectively. These associations were further confirmed in propensity score matching analysis. The adjusted ORs (95% confidence interval) were 1.17 (1.03-1.30) for elevated baPWV and 1.28 (1.13-1.46) for elevated PP, P = 0.02 and P value less than 0.001, respectively. CONCLUSION: RHF was associated with elevated baPWV and PP, suggesting that RHF might be an early indicator for the detection of arterial stiffness.