Background: The activity of the growth hormone(GH)-IGF axis declines in midlife, leading to relative GH and IGF-1 deficiency. This fall in serum GH and IGF-1 levels has been termed the somatopause. Several results have suggested that the decline in IGF-1 may play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity(baPWV) is a good marker of arterial stiffness. The aim of the present study was to investigate wheter IGF-1 concentraions are associated with baPWV.
Methods: 306 participants (M:F=84:222) underwent baPWV, anthropometric measurements and laboratory procedures. The association between IGF-1 and baPWV was examined.
Results: At baseline, waist to hip ratio, diastolic blood pressure, IGF-1, homocysteine, ferritin were higer in men and total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol were higer in women. In men, baPWV is positively correlated with age, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, homocysteine, CRP and negatively associated with IGF-1 (r=-0.223, P=0.042). On regression analysis, baPWV is associated systolic blood pressure, IGF-1, total cholesterol and homocysteine in men. Age, systolic blood pressure and fasting glucose are predictor of baPWV in women.
Conclusion: IGF-1 concentrations are negatively correlated with baPWV in men. This suggestes that low IGF-1 is associated with arterial stiffness and development of cardiovascular disease.