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- Title
Greater intima–media thickness in the carotid bulb is associated with reduced baroreflex sensitivity
- Authors
Gianaros, Peter J.; Jennings, J.Richard; Olafsson, G.Benedikt; Steptoe, Andrew; Sutton-Tyrrell, Kim; Muldoon, Matthew F.; Manuck, Stephen B.
- Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between resting baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and carotid intima–media thickness (IMT), a putative marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. Participants were 64 men and 18 women (median age, 57 years; range, 40 to 70 years), who did not have a previous history of coronary artery disease or treatment for hypertension. Resting BRS was measured during a 9-min baseline period using the noninvasive sequence technique; carotid IMT was subsequently determined using ultrasonography. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that greater IMT in the carotid bulb (an area with a high density of baroreceptors) was associated with reduced BRS. These findings remained after adjusting BRS for resting mean arterial pressure, age, body mass index, gender, and smoking history, R2 = 0.06, P = .03. In contrast, IMT in the common and internal carotid regions (areas with presumably lower baroreceptor densities) did not account for a significant proportion of the variance in BRS. These results suggest that subclinical atherosclerosis, specifically in a region with high baroreceptor density, is associated with a reduced sensitivity of the baroreflex.
- Subjects
ATHEROSCLEROSIS; BLOOD pressure; CAROTID artery; HYPERTENSION
- Publication
American Journal of Hypertension, 2002, Vol 15, Issue 6, p486
- ISSN
0895-7061
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1016/S0895-7061(02)02923-0