Effects of age, race, gender, blood pressure, and estrogen on arterial compliance

Background Although a variety of factors have been shown to influence vascular compliance in humans, few studies have been large enough to adequately assess the effects of age, race, gender, blood pressure (BP), and estrogen therapy. Methods As part of a long-term follow-up study, 272 subjects, 50% women, 26% African American, 71% currently hypertensive, ranging in age from 33 to 80 years were studied with noninvasive measures of vascular compliance by pulse wave analysis. Results A significant age-related decrease in large and small vessel compliance and increase in vascular resistance and impedance was seen in all hypertensive subjects and in normotensive women. The slope of the relationship was significantly steeper for women than for men. No effect of estrogen or race could be observed. In hypertensive subjects, pulse pressure exerted an effect similar to that of age. Conclusions Studies of vascular compliance must consider a variety of demographic and physiologic factors including age, gender, and BP. Race and estrogen administration do not appear to contribute to the variables independent of the factors identified.