Estimated pulse wave velocity, socioeconomic status predict stroke risk in men

Estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) and socioeconomic status (SES) independently contribute to a higher risk of stroke in men, and the relationship between elevated ePWV and increased stroke risk remains whether an individual has high or low SES, according to a study.

A total of 2,666 men aged 42‒61 years, who were enrolled in the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Study cohort, participated in this prospective study.

The authors calculated the ePWV, a proxy of carotid-femoral PWV, from an equation based on age and mean blood pressure. They assessed SES using self-reported questionnaires and classified as tertiles, and categorized ePWV as high (≥10 m/s) and low (<10 m/s).

After adjusting for confounding factors, men with high ePWV showed a 48-percent higher risk of stroke, while those with low SES exhibited a risk increase of 35 percent compared with individuals with high SES.

The joint associations of ePWV and SES further showed that high ePWV‒high SES (hazard ratio [HR], 1.53, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.12‒2.08) and high ePWV‒low SES (HR, 1.63, 95 percent CI, 1.21‒2.20) each correlated with a higher risk of stroke, but low ePWV‒low SES did not (HR, 1.12, 95 percent CI, 0.87‒1.44), compared with low ePWV‒high SES.

“High PWV and low SES are each associated with increased risk of stroke, but clarification of the interplay between PWV, SES, and the risk of stroke appears to be warranted to identify vulnerable populations at high risk of stroke,” the authors said.