Pulse pressure tracking from adolescence to young adulthood: contributions to vascular health

Purpose: We examined whether exposure to high PP in adolescence predicts carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and stiffness indices at young adulthood. Methods: Seventy-nine participants had their brachial systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood (DBP) pressures taken at the age of 15–16 years and later at young adulthood (29–31 years). Carotid IMT, distensibility and stiffness index β were measured at young adulthood. Linear and logistical regression analysis were performed. Results: PP at adolescence and at young adulthood predicted vascular health independently of sex, body mass index, and mean arterial pressure, explaining up to 37% of the variance. When analyzing its single constituents, at adolescence DBP was more predictive of vascular health, whereas DBP and SBP were equally important at young adulthood. Adolescents with high PP were at risk for increased carotid IMT (OR: 4.04–4.09), even if PP decreased at young adulthood. Young adults with high PP were at risk for increased stiffness regardless of adolescence PP (OR: 4.64–7.35). Conclusion: PP at adolescence and young adulthood may be a better predictor of early pathological changes in carotid artery structure and stiffness. Whereas carotid IMT in young adults appears to be influenced by PP at adolescence, carotid stiffness depends primarily on current PP.