Association Between Increased Central and Peripheral Arterial 2 Stiffness and Vitamin Intake in Healthy Adults: EVA Follow-Up 3 Study

BACKGROUND: Evidence from prospective studies on the relationship of the dietary vitamin intake and the progression of central and peripheral arterial stiffness remains limited. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between dietary vitamin intake with the changes in central and peripheral arterial stiffness over a five-year follow-up in adults without previous cardiovascular disease. METHODS: This five-year longitudinal study included 466 participants from the EVA study who were evaluated at baseline and follow-up (mean age 55.96 ± 14.15 years; 51.1% women). Central arterial stiffness was assessed using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), and peripheral arterial stiffness was measured using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Dietary vitamin intake was estimated using the EVIDENT smartphone application, developed and validated by CGB and the Salamanca Primary Care (APISAL; registration number 00/2014/2207). RESULTS: In multivariable linear regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, lifestyle factors, and cardiovascular risk factors, greater increases in cfPWV were inversely associated with vitamin B9 (folate) intake (β = -0.233; 95% CI: -0.390 to -0.075) and vitamin C intake (β = -0.291; 95% CI: -0.507 to -0.075). Similarly, increases in baPWV were inversely associated with vitamin B9 intake (β = -0.156; 95% CI: -0.287 to -0.025) and vitamin C intake (β = -0.223; 95%CI: -0.402 to -0.044). CONCLUSIONS: The progression of central and peripheral arterial stiffness over five years was greater in individuals with lower dietary intakes of vitamin B9 and vitamin C. These findings provide novel evidence supporting the possible role of dietary vitamin intake in the progression of arterial stiffness with aging.