Arterial stiffness and gait speed in older adults with and without peripheral arterial disease

Background Central arterial stiffness is increasingly recognized as an important predictor of cardiovascular events and mortality in older adults; however, few studies have evaluated the association of arterial stiffness with mobility decline, a common consequence of vascular disease. Methods We analyzed the association of pulse wave velocity (PWV), a measure of aortic stiffness, with longitudinal gait speed over 7 years in 2,172 participants in the Health, Aging and Body Composition (ABC) Study (mean age s.d. 73.6±2.9 years, 48% men, 39% black). Results In mixed-effects models adjusted for demographics, each s.d. (396cm/s) higher PWV was associated with<0.015 (s.e.<0.004) m/s slower gait at baseline and throughout the study period in the full cohort (P<0.001); this relationship was largely explained by hypertension and other vascular risk factors. Among participants with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (n = 261; 12.7%), each s.d. higher PWV was independently associated with<0.028 (s.e.<0.010) m/s slower gait speed at baseline and throughout the study period (P<0.01). Conclusions These findings suggest that aortic stiffness may be especially detrimental to mobility in older adults with already compromised arterial function.