Impact of the metabolic syndrome on total arterial compliance in essential hypertension patients.

The aim of the study was to cross-sectionally analyze, in a group of essential hypertension patients without diabetes mellitus, the influence of the metabolic syndrome (MS) on the stroke volume index to pulse pressure (SVi/PP) ratio, a measure of total arterial compliance. A total of 528 essential hypertension patients, aged 18 to 72 years, free from cardiovascular and renal disease (41% of whom had MS) were enrolled. All participants underwent routine blood chemistry, echocardiographic examination, and 3 blood pressure measurements at the end of echocardiographic examination. When compared with participants who did not have MS, hypertensive patients with MS exhibited lower SVi/PP ratio (0.65+/-0.22 vs 0.73+/-0.21 mm Hg; P=.0003). The independent association of MS with SVi/PP ratio (beta=0.10; P=.02) was confirmed in a multivariate regression model including age, sex, and other potential confounders as covariates. The authors' finding may help to explain the enhanced cardiovascular risk associated with MS.