Korean J Fam Pract.  2024 Mar;14(1):19-27. 10.21215/kjfp.2024.14.1.19.

Pulse Pressure Index as an Indicator of Risk for Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease, and Diabetes Mellitus in Korean Adults with Hypertension: the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2019–2021

• Kim JY
• Chang HG
• Cho SH
• Park JE
• Ryu TJ
• Cho Jb

• KMID: 2554229
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21215/kjfp.2024.14.1.19

Abstract

Background
Pulse pressure, reflecting arterial wall stiffness, is a cardiovascular disease risk factor but is highly variable. This study investigated the association of the pulse pressure index (PPI) with 10-year cardiovascular disease risk and its clinical utility by examining its correlations with diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Methods
This cross-sectional study included 3,604 hypertensive adults (30–79 years) from the 2019–2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We categorized PPI as <30, 30 to 40, 40 to 50, and ≥50. The Framingham risk score assessed 10-year cardiovascular disease risk, and multiple regressions analyzed its relationship with the PPI category. Binary logistic regressions evaluated the relationship between PPI, DM, and CKD.
Results
Adjusted for other variables, higher PPI levels are associated with an increased 10-year cardiovascular disease risk (P<0.001). PPI ≥50 was associated with CKD, and all PPI groups, except <30, were associated with DM.
Conclusion
PPI predicts 10-year CVD risk and is associated with DM presence. PPI can be considered a risk factor for both cardiovascular disease and DM. Additionally, PPI ≥50 is associated with CKD.

Keyword

Vascular Stiffness; Hypertension; Pulse Pressure Index; Cardiovascular Disease; Kidney Failure, Chronic; Diabetes Mellitus