Radial artery compliance in young, obese, normotensive subjects

Obesity is characterized by a number of cardiovascular alterations, and whether these alterations involve arterial compliance is unknown. In 12 young, obese, normotensive subjects (age, 23.9±1.3 years; mean±SEM) and 12 age- and sex-matched lean control subjects we measured blood pressure, radial artery diameter, and radial artery compliance continuously over the systodiastolic pressure range with a Finapres device and recently developed echo-tracking device. Measurements were obtained at baseline and after prolonged ischemia, that is, when diameter and compliance are increased. Blood pressure values were normal in both groups (obese subjects: 109.2±4.9/68.2±2.7 mm Hg; lean control subjects: 108.2±4.1/60.7±3.8 mm Hg), but in addition to a marked increase in body mass index (38.5±0.8 versus 23.1±0.9 kg/m2, P<.01), obese subjects showed a slight and nonsignificant increase in heart rate (71.1±3.2 versus 66.7±3.3 beats per minute, P=NS), increases in left ventricular wall thickness and lef...