Autonomic dysfunction is associated with the development of arterial stiffness: the Whitehall II cohort

TY - JOUR

T1 - Autonomic dysfunction is associated with the development of arterial stiffness

T2 - the Whitehall II cohort

AU - Schaarup, Jonas R

AU - Christensen, Martin S

AU - Hulman, Adam

AU - Hansen, Christian S

AU - Vistisen, Dorte

AU - Tabák, Adam G

AU - Witte, Daniel R

AU - Bjerg, Lasse

N1 - © 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Aging Association.

PY - 2023/8

Y1 - 2023/8

N2 - This study aims to examine the association between baseline level and change of autonomic nervous function with subsequent development of arterial stiffness. Autonomic nervous function was assessed in 4901 participants of the Whitehall II occupational cohort by heart rate variability (HRV) indices and resting heart rate (rHR) three times between 1997 and 2009, while arterial stiffness was assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) measured twice between 2007 and 2013. First, individual HRV/rHR levels and annual changes were estimated. Then, we modelled the development of PWV by HRV/rHR using linear mixed effect models. First, we adjusted for sex and ethnicity (model 1), and then for socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, various clinical measurements, and medications (model 2). A decrease in HRV and unchanged rHR was associated with subsequent higher levels of PWV, but the effect of a change in HRV was less pronounced at higher ages. A typical individual aged 65 years with a SDNN level of 30 ms and a 2% annual decrease in SDNN had 1.32 (0.95; 1.69) higher PWV compared to one with the same age and SDNN level but with a 1% annual decrease in SDNN. Further adjustment had no major effect on the results. People who experience a steeper decline in autonomic nervous function have higher levels of arterial stiffness. The association was stronger in younger people.

AB - This study aims to examine the association between baseline level and change of autonomic nervous function with subsequent development of arterial stiffness. Autonomic nervous function was assessed in 4901 participants of the Whitehall II occupational cohort by heart rate variability (HRV) indices and resting heart rate (rHR) three times between 1997 and 2009, while arterial stiffness was assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) measured twice between 2007 and 2013. First, individual HRV/rHR levels and annual changes were estimated. Then, we modelled the development of PWV by HRV/rHR using linear mixed effect models. First, we adjusted for sex and ethnicity (model 1), and then for socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, various clinical measurements, and medications (model 2). A decrease in HRV and unchanged rHR was associated with subsequent higher levels of PWV, but the effect of a change in HRV was less pronounced at higher ages. A typical individual aged 65 years with a SDNN level of 30 ms and a 2% annual decrease in SDNN had 1.32 (0.95; 1.69) higher PWV compared to one with the same age and SDNN level but with a 1% annual decrease in SDNN. Further adjustment had no major effect on the results. People who experience a steeper decline in autonomic nervous function have higher levels of arterial stiffness. The association was stronger in younger people.

KW - arterial stiffness

KW - Whitehall II cohort

KW - cardiovascular disease

KW - resting heart rate

KW - heart rate variability

U2 - 10.1007/s11357-023-00762-0

DO - 10.1007/s11357-023-00762-0

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37074615

SN - 2509-2723

VL - 45

SP - 2443

EP - 2455

JO - GeroScience

JF - GeroScience

IS - 4

ER -