Racial differences in aortic stiffness in normotensive and hypertensive adults

Objective To investigate whether differences exist in the mechanical proper ties of large arteries between white and black subjects. Design Eighty-two white (49 normotensive and 33 untreated hypertensive) and 38 black (24 normotensive and 14 untreated hypertensive) adult male volunt eers were studied in a cross-sectional study. Methods Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity was measured as an index of art erial stiffness, using a recently developed non-invasive automatic device, and compared between white and black subjects before and after the adjustme nt for age. The slope of regressions for pulse wave velocity and systolic b lood pressure were also compared between racial groups. Results In the normotensive group, white subjects presented higher mean val ues of pulse wave velocity than blacks while the opposite behavior was foun d in the hypertensive group, After adjustment for age, significant differen ces in purse wave velocity between whites and blacks became evident in the normotensive (whites 8.15 +/- 0.04 versus blacks 7.75 +/- 0.02 m/s; P < 0.0 01) and hypertensive (whites 8.88 +/- 0.02 versus blacks 9.30 +/- 0.17 m/s; P < 0.001) groups. Linear regression analysis for age-adjusted pulse wave velocity and systolic blood pressure showed that the slope was significantl y greater in blacks than in whites (0.040 +/- 0.002 versus 0.019 +/- 0.001 m/s; P < 0.001). Conclusion These data indicate that there is a greater pressure-dependent i ncrease in aortic stiffness in blacks than in whites. This finding points t owards major differences in mechanical properties of large arteries between these racial groups. J Hypertens 1999, 17:631-637 (C) Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.