Association of socioeconomic status with arterial stiffness in older African American and White adults: The ARIC study cohort

Abstract

Objective: To examine the cross-sectional associations of individual measures of SES—educational attainment and household income—and the joint effects of SES with PWV, as well as the SES-race interaction, in a cohort of older African American and White adults. Methods: Data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study were used to evaluate the cross-sectional associations of individual and joint SES [education and income] and carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), a subclinical marker of arterial stiffness, and the interaction of SES and race using adjusted multivariable linear regression models in a cohort of 3342 men and women aged 67–89 years free of CVD in 2011–2013. Results: Participants were 64% female, 23% African American, mean cfPWV (12.3±3.5-African American and 11.6±3.9-White participants). Post-graduate education compared to less than high school was significantly associated with lower cfPWV (less stiffness) in African American (β = -1.28 m/s; 95% CI, -1.97, -0.59) but not in White (β = -0.69 m/s; 95% CI, -1.39, 0.01) participants. Income ≥$50K as compared to 0.10). Conclusions: Higher SES was cross-sectionally associated with lower arterial stiffness in this cohort; the data did not support differences by race. Prospective studies of SES and cfPWV are needed to efficiently compare larger racially and regionally diverse populations with a wider range of socioeconomic profiles to better identify subgroup CVD risk.

Keywords

• Social determinants of health
• Disparities
• SES
• CVD risk