Reflection Magnitude, a Measure of Arterial Stiffness, Predicts Incident Heart Failure in Men But Not Women: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Abstract

Background: Arterial stiffness is a risk factor for heart failure (HF) and is higher in women. Our objective was to investigate sex differences between arterial stiffness and incident HF in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) population.

Methods and results: Applanation tonometry from 5959 participants (52.8% women) was used to calculate augmentation index (AIx), pulse pressure amplification (PPA), and reflection magnitude (RM). Sex-specific risk of HF was assessed with the use of a competing-risk regression model. Women had higher AIx (P < .00001), higher RM (P = .023), and lower PPA (P < .00001) indicating greater arterial stiffness in women. However, increasing RM quartile independently predicted HF in men (adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals: Q2: 2.05 [1.06-3.96; P = .033]; Q3: 2.49 [1.30-4.73; P = .006]; Q4: 3.26 [1.75-6.08; P = .0002]) but not in women (Q2: 1.04 [0.54-1.98; P = .91]; Q3: 1.30 [0.71-2.37; P = .4]; Q4: 0.79 [0.4-1.55; P = .49]).

Conclusion: Women demonstrate greater arterial stiffness than men. Despite this, arterial stiffness, as measured by RM, predicts incident HF in men but not in women. RM represents a novel risk factor for HF in men but not in women. Further investigation of risk factors for HF in women is warranted.

Conclusion: Arterial stiffness, measured by RM, predicts incident HF in men but not in women in this MESA cohort.

Keywords: Sex; augmentation index; congestive heart failure; incidence; pulse pressure amplification.