Sex differences in the association of cardiometabolic risk scores and blood pressure measurements with white matter hyperintensities in diverse older adults—HABS-HD
IntroductionWe aimed to determine whether cardiometabolic risk factors and blood-pressure (BP) metrics were differentially associated with white matter hyperintensities volume (WMHV) in males versus females in the Health and Aging Brain Study–Health Disparities.MethodsWe analyzed 3,585 community-dwe...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1607646/full |
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| author | Cellas A. Hayes Raul Vintimilla Soumilee Chaudhuri Soumilee Chaudhuri Michelle C. Odden |
| author_facet | Cellas A. Hayes Raul Vintimilla Soumilee Chaudhuri Soumilee Chaudhuri Michelle C. Odden |
| author_sort | Cellas A. Hayes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionWe aimed to determine whether cardiometabolic risk factors and blood-pressure (BP) metrics were differentially associated with white matter hyperintensities volume (WMHV) in males versus females in the Health and Aging Brain Study–Health Disparities.MethodsWe analyzed 3,585 community-dwelling adults (2,207 females) from non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic groups who underwent BP measurement and WMHV quantification. Linear regression models assessed (i) individual risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, tobacco dependence), (ii) a composite risk score, and (iii) four BP metrics (systolic, diastolic, pulse pressure, mean arterial pressure), each including a sex-interaction term and adjusting for age, education, race/ethnicity, and scanner. A second BP model also controlled for all five risk factors.ResultsDiabetes (β = 0.46, 95% CI 0.28–0.64), hypertension (β = 0.47, 0.30–0.64), and higher composite risk (β = 0.19, 0.12–0.26) were associated with greater WMHV. Diastolic BP (β = 0.18, 0.11–0.26) and mean arterial pressure (β = 0.14, 0.07–0.21) related to larger WMHV, with diastolic BP remaining significant after full adjustment (β = 0.14, 0.07–0.22). No sex interactions survived correction.DiscussionThese findings underscore the importance of aggressive cardiometabolic and BP control, particularly diastolic BP, to mitigate WMHV in both sexes. |
| format | Article |
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| issn | 1663-4365 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj-art-e070750c23c94c228851a050d0ef5fa02025-08-04T05:26:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience1663-43652025-08-011710.3389/fnagi.2025.16076461607646Sex differences in the association of cardiometabolic risk scores and blood pressure measurements with white matter hyperintensities in diverse older adults—HABS-HDCellas A. Hayes0Raul Vintimilla1Soumilee Chaudhuri2Soumilee Chaudhuri3Michelle C. Odden4Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, United StatesInstitute for Translational Research, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United StatesDepartment of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Center for Neuroimaging, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesIndiana Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, United StatesIntroductionWe aimed to determine whether cardiometabolic risk factors and blood-pressure (BP) metrics were differentially associated with white matter hyperintensities volume (WMHV) in males versus females in the Health and Aging Brain Study–Health Disparities.MethodsWe analyzed 3,585 community-dwelling adults (2,207 females) from non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic groups who underwent BP measurement and WMHV quantification. Linear regression models assessed (i) individual risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, tobacco dependence), (ii) a composite risk score, and (iii) four BP metrics (systolic, diastolic, pulse pressure, mean arterial pressure), each including a sex-interaction term and adjusting for age, education, race/ethnicity, and scanner. A second BP model also controlled for all five risk factors.ResultsDiabetes (β = 0.46, 95% CI 0.28–0.64), hypertension (β = 0.47, 0.30–0.64), and higher composite risk (β = 0.19, 0.12–0.26) were associated with greater WMHV. Diastolic BP (β = 0.18, 0.11–0.26) and mean arterial pressure (β = 0.14, 0.07–0.21) related to larger WMHV, with diastolic BP remaining significant after full adjustment (β = 0.14, 0.07–0.22). No sex interactions survived correction.DiscussionThese findings underscore the importance of aggressive cardiometabolic and BP control, particularly diastolic BP, to mitigate WMHV in both sexes.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1607646/fullagingcardiometabolic risk factorssex differencesvascular brain injurywhite matter hyperintensitiesblood pressure |
| spellingShingle | Cellas A. Hayes Raul Vintimilla Soumilee Chaudhuri Soumilee Chaudhuri Michelle C. Odden Sex differences in the association of cardiometabolic risk scores and blood pressure measurements with white matter hyperintensities in diverse older adults—HABS-HD Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience aging cardiometabolic risk factors sex differences vascular brain injury white matter hyperintensities blood pressure |
| title | Sex differences in the association of cardiometabolic risk scores and blood pressure measurements with white matter hyperintensities in diverse older adults—HABS-HD |
| title_full | Sex differences in the association of cardiometabolic risk scores and blood pressure measurements with white matter hyperintensities in diverse older adults—HABS-HD |
| title_fullStr | Sex differences in the association of cardiometabolic risk scores and blood pressure measurements with white matter hyperintensities in diverse older adults—HABS-HD |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sex differences in the association of cardiometabolic risk scores and blood pressure measurements with white matter hyperintensities in diverse older adults—HABS-HD |
| title_short | Sex differences in the association of cardiometabolic risk scores and blood pressure measurements with white matter hyperintensities in diverse older adults—HABS-HD |
| title_sort | sex differences in the association of cardiometabolic risk scores and blood pressure measurements with white matter hyperintensities in diverse older adults habs hd |
| topic | aging cardiometabolic risk factors sex differences vascular brain injury white matter hyperintensities blood pressure |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1607646/full |
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