Emerging lipid parameters showed no significant association with pulse wave velocity progression over 3.8 years in hypertensive patients; age and BP were main determinants.
Do standard and emerging lipid parameters predict changes in pulse wave velocity over time in hypertensive patients?
Emerging lipid parameters are not independently associated with the progression of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients, with age and blood pressure remaining the primary determinants.
Abstract Background and Aims Lipid profiles, including both traditional and novel parameters, have been linked to arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity-PWV) over time. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between standard and emerging lipid parameters (e.g., non-HDL/HDL, LDL/HDL, total cholesterol/HDL, Log TG/HDL, and the triglyceride-glucose index TyG) and changes in PWV (ΔPWV) during a 3.8 years of follow-up among hypertensive patients. Methods We included 469 hypertensive outpatients aged 18-80 years from the Hypertension Unit of our hospital, recruited from September 2006 to October 2010. PWV was measured at baseline and after a mean follow-up of 3.8 years (I-III quartiles: 3.5 – 4.2 years). Changes in PWV (ΔPWV) between baseline and follow-up were then calculated, and the population was divided accordingly to the best predictive values for CV outcomes (0.5 m/s). Results The study cohort was 58.4% male, with a mean age of 53.6±12.9 years. Baseline fasting glucose, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides averaged 89.1±21.4, 198.0±34.7, 53.0±13.5, 120.2±31.5, and 123.4±72.6 (all mg/dL), respectively. PWV significantly increased from baseline to follow-up (8.6±2.1 vs 9.2±2.3 m/s; p=0.0001), with 51.6% of patients exhibiting a ΔPWV≥0.5 m/s. Patients with ΔPWV ≥ 0.5 m/s had a significantly lower baseline PWV (8.0±1.5 vs 9.2±2.3 m/s) and HDL (51.5±13.5 vs 54.7±13.3 mg/dL) with higher LDL/HDL ratio (2.46±0.89 vs 2.30±0.86), non-HDL/HDL ratio (3.0±1.1 vs 2.8±1.1), total cholesterol/HDL ratio (4.0±1.1 vs 3.8±1.1), and logTG/HDL (0.043±0.015 vs 0.040±0.014, p0.05 for all comparison). However, no significant univariate association was observed between lipid parameters and baseline PWV, analysed either as a continuous or dichotomous variable (PWV10 m/s). Univariate analysis found a modest correlation between ΔPWV and ΔPWV≥0.5 and logTG/HDL (r=0.121, p=0.009 and r=0.094, p=0.042, respectively) but did not persist at multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, ΔSBP, ACE inhibitor or ARB use, lipid-lowering therapy, diabetes, and GFR. Conclusions This study found no significant associations between emerging lipid parameters and PWV, assessed either as a continuous or dichotomous variable. Age and blood pressure values remain the main determinants of PWV and its changes over time.
Garofani et al. (2025) studied this question. Emerging lipid parameters showed no significant association with pulse wave velocity progression over 3.8 years in hypertensive patients; age and BP were main determinants.