BACKGROUND: Vascular aging is characterized by increasing arterial stiffness as measured by pulse wave velocity. The present study evaluated the factors influencing vascular aging in Chinese healthy older subjects.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Disease- and treatment-free aged (≥60 years) participants were recruited from 2014 to 2019. Cardiometabolic risk factors and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were assessed. We defined healthy vascular aging (HVA) as the lowest 10% and early vascular aging (EVA) as the highest 10% of the baPWV distribution, after adjustment for age and blood pressure (BP). We fitted linear and logistic regression models to assess the determinants.

RESULTS: In all, 794 subjects (mean age 66.5±6.8 years, 71.0% male) were recruited; the 10th and 90th percentiles of baPWV were 1278 cm/s and 1955 cm/s, respectively. Age, BP, heart rate, and triglycerides were all positively associated with baPWV, whereas male subjects and body mass index (BMI) were negatively associated with baPWV. The number of participants diagnosed with either HVA or EVA was 80. Logistic regression models showed that sex, BMI, heart rate, and triglycerides were associated with HVA and EVA after adjustment for age, BP, and other confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONS: Male, high BMI, low heart rate, and low triglycerides are protective factors for vascular aging in the healthy aged population. Management of BMI, heart rate, triglycerides in a reasonable range may help to alleviate the vascular aging process.

Keywords: Aging, Pulse Wave Analysis, Vascular Stiffness, Ankle, Ankle Brachial Index, Ankle Joint, Blood Pressure, Body Mass Index, Brachial Artery, Cardiovascular Diseases, Heart Rate, Logistic Models, Risk Factors