Abstract P146: Sex Differences In The Association Between Systolic Blood Pressure And Carotid Distensibility In Adults

Background and Aim: We explored sex differences in the association between systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP), in early adulthood with carotid plaques, carotid IMT and carotid distensibility (CD) in mid-adulthood. Methods: Participants in the Childhood Determinants of Adult Health study at ages 26-36 years were followed-up at ages 39-49 years. Systolic BP and diastolic BP and carotid ultrasound measures (plaques, IMT and CD) were performed in clinics. We used log binomial and linear regression models with risk factor*gender interactions for predicting these carotid measures. Sex-stratified models adjusted for sociodemographic, health-related behavior and biomedical factors were fitted when likelihood ratio tests suggested the effect of risk factors on outcomes differed by sex. Results: Among 1,286 participants (53% women), men, compared to women, had higher prevalence of carotid plaques (17% vs. 10%), thicker carotid IMT (Mean 0.66 ± 0.09 vs. 0.61 ± 0.07) and lower CD (Mean 1.87 ± 0.60 vs. 2.37 ± 0.77). In women, greater SBP in early adulthood was sharply associated with significantly smaller CD (β -0.016 95%CI -0.023, -0.010 vs. β -0.006 95%CI -0.012, -0.001) than men in mid-adulthood adjusted for sociodemographic factors (Figure 1a). In analyses restricted to women, the effect of SBP on CD has decreased after adjusting for age, education, occupation, DBP and use of contraceptives (β -0.009 95%CI -0.019, 0.000) (Figure 1b). Conclusion: CV health was worse in men than women. However, elevated SBP in women put them at greater risk of poorer CV health compared to men, which was partly explained by sociodemographic, biomedical and female-specific factors.