Endothelial Dysfunction and Low-Grade Inflammation Are Associated With Greater Arterial Stiffness Over a 6-Year Period

293 healthy adults (155 women), measured at 36 and 42 years of age.

Biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction (soluble endothelial selectin, thrombomodulin, vascular and intercellular adhesion molecules 1, and von Willebrand factor) and low-grade inflammation (C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, interleukin 6, interleukin 8, tumor necrosis factor-α, and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1) combined into mean z scores.

Arterial stiffness (carotid, femoral, and brachial arterial stiffness and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity) determined by ultrasonography over a 6-year period.surrogate