B-009 THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PULSE PRESSURE AND CAROTID INTIMA-MEDIA THICKNESS IN ADOLESCENTS

Background and Purpose Pulse pressure associates with atherosclerosis, but it is unclear whether pulse pressure levels within a relatively normal range are associated with atherosclerosis in younger populations. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between pulse pressure and the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in healthy adolescents. Methods Study participants included 249 (129 male and 120 female) in the third grade of the high school students (mean age, 17.8 years) at a rural high school in Korea. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) were measured with an oscillometric automated sphygmomanometer. Pulse pressure was calculated as the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The carotid arteries were evaluated with high-resolution B-mode ultrasound scanning. Carotid IMT value was determined with the average of the maximal IMT at each common carotid artery. Group comparisons were made using the t test or chi-square test. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the independent associations between pulse pressure and carotid IMT. Results Pulse pressure was significantly associated with carotid IMT before (r = 0.1966, p = 0.002)and after (r = 0.1429, p = 0.245) adjustment for sex. The association remained significant after adjustment for age, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose level, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio(both in male (β = 0.0026, p < 0.001)and female (β = .0010, p = 0.035) adolescents). Conclusions This study suggests that higher pulse pressure may be associated with increased carotid artery intima-media thickening in healthy adolescents.