ABSTRACT

Aortic pulse wave velocity is currently the ‘gold standard’ measure of arterial stiffness.In this study we aimed to investigatethe relationships betweenAortic pulse wave velocity and body mass index in hypertensive andnormotensiveobesesubjects.A total of109 obese subjects were divided into two groups according to arterial blood pressures andbody mass index. Subjects with a body mass index of 30.0-34.9 kg/m2 were defined as Class I, and ≥35.0 kg/m2 as Class II. Then Class I and II groups were divided into two groups according to blood pressures as normotensive-Class I, II and hypertensive-Class I, II.In the whole group (n:109) pulse wave velocity was significantly correlated with age, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure (r=0.229; p=0.017, r=0.301; p=0.001 and r=0.323; p=0.001, respectively). Pulse wave velocity was not significantly correlated with body mass index neither in the whole group nor in the Class I and Class II groups.These results suggest that in the patients with a body mass index of ≥30.0 kg/m2, increase ofpulse wave velocity is not associated with body mass index, but can be related with age, systolic and diastolic blood pressure.