Arterial stiffness, physical function, and functional limitation: the Whitehall II Study.

ABSTRACT: Arterial stiffness has been proposed as an indicator of vascular aging. We aimed to examine this concept by analyzing associations of arterial stiffness with age, subjective and objective measures of physical functioning, and self-reported functional limitation. We measured aortic pulse wave velocity by applanation tonometry among 5392 men and women aged 55 to 78 years. Arterial stiffness was strongly associated with age (mean difference [SE] per decade: men, 1.37 m/s [0.06 m/s]; women: 1.39 m/s [0.10 m/s]). This association was robust to individual and combined adjustment for pulse pressure, mean arterial pressure, antihypertensive treatment, and chronic disease. Participants took an 8.00-ft (2.44-m) walking speed test, a spirometry lung function test, and completed health functioning and

SUBMITTER: Brunner EJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6532973 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature