Correlation analysis of estimated pulse wave velocity and severe abdominal aortic calcification: based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database

<i>Objective.</i>To investigate how severe abdominal aortic calcification (SAAC) and estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) relate to each other and to all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortalities.<i>Approach.</i>National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2014 data were analyzed. ePWV, computed using age and mean blood pressure, served as an independent variable. Dependent variable SAAC (AAC score >6) was quantified using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and Kauppila grading. A weighted logistic regression model, interaction terms, and restricted cubic spline analysis examined relationship between ePWV and SAAC. Kaplan-Meier curves were drawn among SAAC people. A weighted Cox regression model was built to examine associations of ePWV with all-cause and CVD mortalities.<i>Main results.</i>2849 individuals were included. A strong positive connection (odds ratio (OR) > 1,<i>P</i>< 0.05) was seen between ePWV and SAAC risk. Interaction term<i>P</i>-value indicated that only ethnicity (<i>P</i>< 0.05) had an impact on this link but smoking, alcohol use, age, sex, body mass index, or hypertension did not. SAAC patients showed greater ePWV, all-cause and CVD mortalities (<i>P</i>< 0.05) than non-SAAC subjects. Greater ePWV (>12.00 m s^-1) was associated with higher risks of all-cause and CVD mortalities in SAAC participants (hazard ratio (HR) > 1,<i>P</i>< 0.05). Significance<i>.</i>This study, for the first time based on the NHANES database, reveals a positive correlation between ePWV and SAAC, and identifies ePWV as an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk in patients with SAAC, providing a new biomarker for the prevention and early intervention of cardiovascular diseases.