Glycemic index, glycemic load, and pulse wave reflection in adults

• Glycemic index and glycemic load were directly associated with PAIx75 in adults.
• PAIx75 is an intermediate marker for the development of atherosclerosis.
• Intervention studies are needed to define the role of GI in vascular function.

Background and aimsDiets with a high glycemic index (GI), high glycemic load (GL), or both, increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. This study examined the association of GI and GL in a regular diet with the peripheral augmentation index (i.e., a marker of vascular aging) in a sample of adults.Methods and ResultsCross-sectional study. The findings presented in this manuscript are a subanalysis of the EVIDENT study whose purpose was to analyze the relationship between lifestyle and arterial aging. For the sample population, 1553 individuals aged 20–80 years were selected through random sampling from the patients of general practitioners at six health centers in Spain. GI and GL for each patient's diet were calculated from a previously validated, semi-quantitative, 137-item food frequency questionnaire. The peripheral augmentation index corrected for a heart rate of 75 bpm (PAIx75) was measured with pulse-wave application software (A-Pulse CASP). Based on a risk factor adjusted regression model, for every 5 unit increase in GI, the PAIx75 increased by 0.11 units (95% CI: 0.04–0.19). Similarly, for every increase in 10 units in GL, the PAIx75 increased by 1.13 (95% CI: 0.21–2.05). High PAIx75 values were observed in individuals with diets in the third GI tertile (i.e., the highest), and lower PAIx75 values in those with diets in the first tertile (i.e., the lowest), (93.1 vs. 87.5, respectively, p = 0.001).ConclusionsGI and GL were directly associated with PAIx75 values in adults without cardiovascular diseases regardless of age, gender, physical activity, and other confounders.