Melissa Maritz1, Carla M T Fourie2, Johannes M Van Rooyen3, Aletta E Schutte3. 1. Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. 2. Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa; MRC Unit for Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Electronic address: carla.fourie@nwu.ac.za. 3. Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa; MRC Unit for Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Abstract
AIMS: Black populations from sub-Saharan Africa have a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease, which places significant strain on public health systems. Aortic stiffness is a prominent risk factor for cardiovascular disease development. We reported earlier that excessive alcohol use predicts aortic stiffness. However, we require a better understanding of other biomarkers involved in stiffness development, beyond alcohol use. Therefore, we determined which biomarkers (metabolic, inflammatory, endothelial activation and oxidative stress) relate to aortic stiffness in young and older black South Africans, self-reporting no alcohol-use. METHODS: We included cross-sectional data from young (aged 24.7 ± 3.24 years) black adults participating in the African Prospective study on the Early Detection and Identification of Cardiovascular Disease and Hypertension (African-PREDICT) study (N = 216), and five-year follow-up data from older (aged 61.6 ± 9.77 years) black adults (N = 322) participating in the South African leg of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study, conducted in the North West Province (PURE-SA-NWP). We excluded all participants self-reporting alcohol use. We determined biomarkers from blood samples, and measured carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV). RESULTS: Of all biomarkers investigated in multivariable-adjusted regression analyses, only plasma glucose (R2 = 0.24, β = 0.21, p < 0.001) and glycated haemoglobin (R2 = 0.22, β = 0.17, p = 0.002) independently predicted PWV five years later in older adults. We found no other associations in young or older black adults. CONCLUSION: Dysglycaemia independently predicted aortic stiffness after five years in older black adults. Life-course management of body weight and sugar intake are important in preventing early vascular ageing and subsequent cardiovascular disease development in Africa.
AIMS: Black populations from sub-Saharan Africa have a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease, which places significant strain on public health systems. Aortic stiffness is a prominent risk factor for cardiovascular disease development. We reported earlier that excessive alcohol use predicts aortic stiffness. However, we require a better understanding of other biomarkers involved in stiffness development, beyond alcohol use. Therefore, we determined which biomarkers (metabolic, inflammatory, endothelial activation and oxidative stress) relate to aortic stiffness in young and older black South Africans, self-reporting no alcohol-use. METHODS: We included cross-sectional data from young (aged 24.7 ± 3.24 years) black adults participating in the African Prospective study on the Early Detection and Identification of Cardiovascular Disease and Hypertension (African-PREDICT) study (N = 216), and five-year follow-up data from older (aged 61.6 ± 9.77 years) black adults (N = 322) participating in the South African leg of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study, conducted in the North West Province (PURE-SA-NWP). We excluded all participants self-reporting alcohol use. We determined biomarkers from blood samples, and measured carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV). RESULTS: Of all biomarkers investigated in multivariable-adjusted regression analyses, only plasma glucose (R2 = 0.24, β = 0.21, p < 0.001) and glycated haemoglobin (R2 = 0.22, β = 0.17, p = 0.002) independently predicted PWV five years later in older adults. We found no other associations in young or older black adults. CONCLUSION: Dysglycaemia independently predicted aortic stiffness after five years in older black adults. Life-course management of body weight and sugar intake are important in preventing early vascular ageing and subsequent cardiovascular disease development in Africa.