Noninvasive central systolic blood pressure, not peripheral systolic blood pressure, independently predicts the progression of carotid intima-media thickness in a Chinese community-based population

This study aimed to investigate the predictive values of central systolic blood pressure (cSBP) and peripheral systolic blood pressure (pSBP) for the progression of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). A total of 953 Chinese participants from an atherosclerosis cohort with complete information, including baseline cSBP, questionnaire information, biochemical examination, baseline, and follow-up carotid ultrasonography quantitative data, were included in this study. A multilinear regression model, adjusted for possible covariates, was used to investigate the predictive values of cSBP and pSBP for rate of cIMT change. The average age of all participants was (52.11 ± 4.74 years). The baseline levels of cSBP, pSBP, max cIMT, and mean cIMT were (132.55 ± 18.18)mmHg, (130.76 ± 15.40)mmHg, (813.52 ± 118.49)µm and (681.11 ± 99.90)µm, respectively Those with hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia accounted for 40.71% (388), 18.05% (172), and 70.41% (671), respectively. After 2.3 years of follow-up, the average rates of max and mean cIMT change were 8.70 (−0.49–19.43)% and 2.59 (−4.72–10.81)%, respectively. Per standard deviation increase of cSBP, but not pSBP, was associated with increases of max (for cSBP, β 1.07, 95%CI 0.18–1.96, p = 0.018; for pSBP, β 0.48, 95%CI −0.45–1.41, p = 0.315) and mean (for cSBP, β 0.84%, 95%CI 0.10−1.58, p = 0.027; for pSBP, β 0.59%, 95%CI −0.18–1.37, p = 0.135) cIMT change rate after adjusting for possible covariates. In conclusion, cSBP, but not pSBP, is independently associated with cIMT progression in our community-based Chinese population. cSBP should be considered for the purpose of CVD primary prevention.