Serum calcium level is associated with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in middle-aged and elderly Chinese.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relation between serum calcium level and elevated BaPWV in Chinese subjects.

METHODS: The relation between serum calcium level and elevated BaPWV was studied in 9 615 subjects. The mean value of left and right BaPWV was analyzed. BaPWV was defined as high when it was ⋝1752.5 cm/s (the upper quartile) either side.

RESULTS: The BaPWV and its elevated percentage progressively increased across the quartiles of the serum calcium level (P<0.05). The prevalence of elevated BaPWV was significantly higher in subjects of the second, third and highest quartiles than in those of the lowest quartile (26.9%, 28.4%, and 33.2% vs 23.7%, P=0.0116, P=0.0004, and P<0.0001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of elevated BaPWV was 1.32- fold higher in subjects of the highest quartile than in those of the lowest quartile (OR=1.32, 95% CI: 1.08-1.60).

CONCLUSION: The elevated serum calcium level is related to an elevated BaPWV and a higher risk of arterial stiffness, independent of conventional risk factors, in middle-aged and elderly Chinese subjects.