Abstract:
Objective To evaluate the relationship of inter-arm diastolic pressure difference (d-IAD) after right arm ischemia with body mass index (BMI) in the young males, so as to provide simple methods for assessing vascular endothelial function in young students.
Methods A total of 137 young males were selected. Based on the BMI, the participants were divided into: normal group (BMI 18.5-23.9 kg/m2, 53 cases), group with overweight (24-28 kg/m2, 44 cases) and group with obesity (≥28 kg/m2, 40 cases). After 10 min rest, the blood pressure of both arms was measured twice by two electronic blood pressure monitors, with the average taken as the baseline blood pressure. A mercury column sphygmomanometer cuff was placed on the right upper arm, and the cuff pressure was maintained 30 mmHg above the systolic blood pressure for 5 minutes to induce short-term ischemia in the right arm. Subsequently, electronic blood pressure monitors were used to simultaneously measure the blood pressure in both arms. The diastolic blood pressure difference between the two arms before and after ischemia (Δd-IAD) was calculated. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to evaluate the relationship between BMI and Δd-IAD.
Results Before ischemia, the baseline d-IAD values increased with higher BMI across three groups, but the inter-group difference were not statistically significant (H = 4.918, P = 0.086). After ischemia, ∆d-IAD decreased significantly from normal weight to overweight, whereas the change from overweight to obesity was relatively modest. The ∆d-IAD values were 7.33 (3.08, 11.42) mmHg in the normal-weight group, 3.00 (0.42, 6.79) mmHg in the overweight group, and 1.50 (–0.96, 2.83) mmHg in the obesity group. Comparison between the normal-weight and overweight groups yielded U = 637.00, P<0.001, and between the overweight and obesity groups, U = 633.00, P = 0.027. Multivariable analysis showed that BMI was an independent negative determinant of ∆d-IAD (β = –0.362, P<0.001).
Conclusion In young males, BMI is independently and negatively correlated with Δd-IAD after short-term ischemia in the right arm.