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Lisanne Tap,1 Lisanne J Dommershuijsen,1 Andrea Corsonello,2 Fabrizia Lattanzio,2 Silvia Bustacchini,2 Gijsbertus Ziere,1 Jan LCM van Saase,3 Francesco US Mattace-Raso1 1Section of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; 2Italian National Research Center on Aging (INRCA), Ancona, Fermo and Cosenza, Italy; 3Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the NetherlandsCorrespondence: Francesco US Mattace-RasoSection Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Room Rg-527, PO BOX 2040, Rotterdam 3000 CA, the NetherlandsTel +31 10703 5979Fax +31 10703 47 68Email f.mattaceraso@erasmusmc.nlPurpose: Aortic stiffness (AS) is associated with cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in the older population. AS might also influence the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) as a result of the negative effects of AS on cognitive and physical morbidity. We aimed to investigate the possible association between AS and HRQOL in people aged 75 years and over.Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was part of the SCOPE study, an international multicenter cohort observational study. The indicators for AS were aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) and central pulse pressure (cPP). HRQOL was assessed using the EQ-5D index and the EQ-5D visual analog scale (VAS). ANCOVA and multivariate regression models were used to investigate possible associations.Results: We included 280 Dutch participants of the SCOPE study. Median age was 79 years (IQR 76– 83) and 42.1% were women. Participants reporting any problem on the EQ-5D index (n=214) had higher values of aPWV (12.6 vs 12.2 m/s, p = 0.024) than participants not experiencing any problem (n=66) and comparable values of cPP (44.4 vs 42.0 mmHg, p = 0.119). Estimates only slightly changed after adjustments. No association was found between indicators of AS and EQ-5D VAS.Conclusion: Aortic stiffness was associated with impaired quality of late life. This association could be mediated by subclinical vascular pathology affecting mental and physical health.Keywords: arterial stiffness, health-related quality of life, EQ-5D, older persons