Objectives: Central blood pressure (BP) predicts mortality independent of office brachial BP. The aim was to describe reference values for central blood pressure and pulsatile hemodynamic parameters, and their relationship with cardiovascular risk factors in an adult Spanish population without cardiovascular disease. Methods: Cross-sectional study. We included 501 participants stratified by age and sex by random sampling, with a mean age of 56 years (50.3% women). The SphygmoCor System device's pulse wave analysis software was used to perform the measurements. Results: The following values were obtained: central blood pressure median (109/76 mmHg), central pulse pressure (33 mmHg), pulse pressure amplification (8.5 mmHg), ejection duration (130 ms) and subendocardial viability ratio (163%). All parameters were greater in men, except heart rate and ejection duration. In the logistic regression analysis, controlled for age, sex and taking antihypertensive drugs, being hypertensive was associated with cSBP (OR = 1.265), cDBP (OR = 1.307), cPP (OR = 1.067), pulse wave amplification (OR = 1.034) and SEVR (OR = 0.982); being diabetic was associated with SEVR (OR = 0.982); being obese was associated with cSBP (OR = 1.028) and cDBP (OR = 1.058) and being a smoker was associated with ejection duration (OR = 0.980) and SEVR (OR = 0.984). Conclusion: This study provides reference values for central blood pressure and parameters derived from the pulse wave analysis in a random sample of the Spanish population. The only risk factor that is not associated with any of the parameters analysed is dyslipidaemia. Trial registration number: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02623894

The aim of this study was to validate and analyze the psychometric properties of a Spanish version of the Sexual Trafficking Attitudes Scale towards women and girls (STAS). A sample of 204 students from the University of Salamanca (Spain) was used. The exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a multifactorial structure of six factors (70.1% of variance). The Cronbach’s α internal consistency index obtained for the sample was 0.87 and composite reliability was 0.94. Convergent validity was determined between the full scale and the six dimensions, and divergent between subscales. The Spanish version of the instrument consisted of 25 items, proving to be a reliable and parsimonious measure.

Background The aim of this study was to analyze the association of physical activity and its intensity with arterial stiffness and vascular aging and differences by sex in a Spanish population with intermediate cardiovascular risk. Methods Cross-sectional study. A total of 2475 individuals aged 35–75 years participated in the study. Brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured using a VaSera VS-1500® device. Based on the age and sex percentile presented by the participants, the latter were classified as follows: those with a percentile above 90 and presenting established cardiovascular disease were classified as early vascular aging (EVA); those with a percentile between 10 and 90 were classified as normal vascular aging (NVA) and those with a percentile below 10 were classified as healthy vascular aging (HVA). Physical activity was analyzed through the short version of the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (MLTPAQ). Results The mean age of the participants was 61.34 ± 7.70 years, with 61.60% men. Of the total sample, 86% were sedentary (83% men vs 90% women). The total physical activity showed a negative association with baPWV (β = − 0.045; 95% CI − 0.080 to − 0.009). Intense physical activity showed a negative relationship with baPWV (β = − 0.084; 95% CI − 0.136 to − 0.032). The OR of the total physical activity and the intense physical activity carried out by the subjects classified as NVA with respect to those classified as HVA was OR = 0.946; (95% CI 0.898 to 0.997) and OR = 0.903; (95% CI 0.840 to 0.971), and of those classified as EVA it was OR = 0.916; (95% CI 0.852 to 0.986) and OR = 0.905; (95% CI 0.818 to 1.000). No association was found with moderate- or low-intensity physical activity. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that, when intense physical activity is performed, the probability of presenting vascular aging is lower. In the analysis by sex, this association is only observed in men.

Introduction The aim of this work was to analyse the association of the retinal arteriolar calibre and the arteriole/venule index (AV index) with vascular ageing in a general population without previous cardiovascular disease. Materials and methods Descriptive cross‐sectional study. A total of 482 individuals without cardiovascular disease (mean age: 55.6 ± 14.2 years) were selected by random sampling, stratified by age and sex. The retinal arteriolar calibre was measured using digital fundus images of the back of the eye captured with a validated, semiautomatized and computer‐assisted software (Index calculator). Vascular ageing was defined using three criteria based on the values of: (1) Carotid‐femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (cfPWV), (2) Brachial‐ankle Pulse Wave Velocity (baPWV) and (3) Carotid Intima‐Media Thickness. Results The AV index and arteriolar calibre show a negative correlation with age, arterial pressure, cardiovascular risk and parameters of vascular structure and function (p < 0.001 in all cases). We found lower mean values of the AV index and arteriolar calibre in the individuals with early vascular ageing compared to those with healthy vascular ageing. AV index was negatively correlated with cfPWV ((β=−2.9; 95% CI (−4.7; −1.1)), baPWV ((β=−3.2; 95% CI (−5.4; −0.9)) and vascular ageing index ((β=−1.7; 95% CI (−2.7; −0.7)). Arteriolar calibre showed a negative correlation with baPWV (β=−0.1; 95% CI (−0.2; −0.1)). In the logistic regression analysis, lower values of AV index ((OR=0.01; 95% CI (0.01–0.10), OR=0.03; 95% CI (0.01–0.11) and OR=0.09; 95% CI (0.01–0.67)) were associated with EVA defined with cfPWV, baPWV and vascular ageing index respectively, and lower values of arteriolar calibre ((OR=0.71; 95% CI (0.55–0.91)) were associated with EVA defined with vascular ageing index. Conclusions Lower values of AV index and retinal arteriolar calibre were associated with vascular ageing in a general Spanish population without previous cardiovascular disease.