Evidence of racial differences in peripheral blood pressure, central haemodynamics and arterial stiffness between young Black and White women

Hypertension diagnosed via peripheral (brachial) blood pressure (pBP) is a strong independent predictor of overt cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, central (aortic) blood pressure (cBP), which is influenced by arterial stiffness, may be more strongly associated with CVD risk. Young Black women (BLW) demonstrate higher pBP than White women (WHW), but investigations of racial differences in central haemodynamics and arterial stiffness in young women are lacking. We assessed pBP, central haemodynamics and arterial stiffness in young, non-hypertensive BLW and WHW. We hypothesized that pBP, central haemodynamics (cBP, augmentation pressure (AP), augmentation index normalized to a heart rate of 75 beats per minute (AIx75), arterial wave reflections), and arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV)) would be higher in BLW. Under standardized resting conditions, supine brachial pBP was measured, and central haemodynamics were estimated via pulse wave analysis using partial cuff inflation. cf-PWV was assessed via simultaneous carotid artery applanation tonometry and partial cuff inflation over the femoral artery. Participants were young, apparently healthy women who self-identified their race as Black (BLW: n = 44) or White (WHW: n = 40). Systolic pBP (P = 0.04) and diastolic pBP (P < 0.01) were higher among BLW. Systolic cBP (P < 0.01), diastolic cBP (P < 0.01), heart rate (P < 0.001), AP (P = 0.02), AIx75 (P < 0.001), arterial wave reflection magnitude (P = 0.40) and cf-PWV (P = 0.04) were all higher among BLW. Findings demonstrate elevations in pBP, central haemodynamics and arterial stiffness in young BLW versus WHW. Central haemodynamics and arterial stiffness may be promising targets in the early assessment of CVD risk in young BLW.