Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2006, 209(1)

Impact of Type A Behavior on Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity in Japanese

HONGJIAN LIU, YOSHIFUMI SAIJO, XIUMIN ZHANG,¹ YASUYUKI SHIRAISHI, YUN LUO,² MITSUYA MARUYAMA,³ MASARU HIGA,² KAZUMITSU SEKINE and TOMOYUKI YAMBE

Department of Medical Engineering and Cardiology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, ¹Department of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan, ²Biomedical Engineering Research Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, and ³Division of Medical Engineering and Clinical Investigation, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is the velocity of a pulse wave traveling a given distance between 2 sites in the arterial system, and is a well-known indicator of arteriosclerosis. Brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV) is a parameter more simple to obtain, compared with the conventional PWV, and is an easy and effective means of evaluating arteriosclerosis. BaPWV can be obtained by only wrapping the four extremities with blood pressure cuffs, and it can be easily used to screen a large number of subjects. Type A behavior has been confirmed as an independent risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease. To examine the relationship between Type A behavior and arteriosclerosis, 307 normal Japanese subjects were classified into either a Type A group (n = 90) or a non-Type A group (n = 217) by using Maeda's Type A Scale. BaPWV was evaluated using a PWV diagnosis device. The baPWV in the Type A group was significantly higher than that obtained in the non-Type A group. The baPWV showed a positive correlation with age both in the Type A group and in the non-Type A group; however, the straight-line regression slope of baPWV versus age in the Type A group was significantly larger than that in the non-Type A group. Therefore, our results suggest that arteriosclerosis might be promoted earlier in subjects expressing the Type A behavior pattern. Type A behavior pattern is confirmed as a risk factor for arteriosclerosis, and may increase the risk of the cardiovascular disease related to arteriosclerosis.

keywords —— Type A behavior; Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity; arteriosclerosis

© 2006 Tohoku University Medical Press

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2006, 209, 15-21

Correspondence: Hongjian Liu, Ph.D., Department of Medical Engineering and Cardiology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, 4-1 Seiryomachi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.

e-mail: hongjianliu63@yahoo.co.jp