ABSTRACT

Background:
We evaluated whether chronic coffee consumption affects arterial stiffness, assessed by cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI).

Methods:
In 514 subjects, aged 66.6±9.9 yrs (mean ±SD), recruited in the 3rd follow-up of the PAMELA study, subdivided in 3 groups according to daily intake of regular coffee (0, 1-2 and ≥3 cups/day), we measured CAVI and clinic, ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and other variables.

Results:
The 3 groups displayed similar age, gender, metabolic and renal profile. Clinic and ambulatory BPs were similar in the 3 groups, this being the case for CAVI (0 cup: 9.1±1.8, 1-2 cups: 9.5±2.3 and ≥3 cups: 9.2±2.1 m/sec, P=NS). No significant gender-difference in CAVI and in participants under antihypertensive treatment was detected.

Conclusions:
Our data show that chronic coffee consumption leaves unaffected arterial stiffness in the general population, this being the case in subgroups. The neutral vascular impact of coffee may favor the absence of any significant BP effect of habitual coffee intake.

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