DETERMINANTS OF ARTERIAL STIFFNESS IN CHINESE MIGRANTS TO AUSTRALIA

The determinants of arterial properties in Chinese migrants to Austral ia were evaluated. Fifty-eight migrants had recently arrived while 25 were long term residents. All were apparently free of cardiovascular d isease. In addition to ultrasound determination of the stiffness of th e thoracic aorta, measurements were also made of pulse wave velocities in the trunk and limbs. Factors investigated as potential determinant s of arterial properties included age, sex, blood pressure, plasma lip ids, urinary electrolyte excretion and duration of residence in Austra lia. Aortic stiffness and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) were both s trongly and positively related to age and also correlated well with on e another. The various arterial indices were entered in a series of mu ltiple regression analyses. Aortic PWV (PWVAF), PWV from the femoral t o dorsalis pedis artery (PWVFD) and the aortic elastic modulus E(p) we re all dependent on age and mean arterial pressure. E(p) was additiona lly dependent on sodium excretion (negatively), PWVAF on LDL cholester ol (negatively) and migrant status and PWVFD on sex and potassium excr etion (negatively). PWV in the arm (PWVBR) was only dependent on sex. Regional aortic stiffness E(p) and PWVAF were significantly higher in the established compared with the recent migrants. Dietary differences were evident between the two migration groups, with recent migrants e ating significantly more rice meals, but there were no differences in plasma total or HDL cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations. Determ inants of the stiffness of the arterial circulation in disease free Ch inese subjects change considerably from proximal to distal sites, with age, blood pressure and cholesterol effects being most pronounced pro ximally and sex and urinary potassium excretion distally. Increasing d uration of Australian residence appears to be accompanied by an increa se in proximal arterial stiffness.