Acute effect of coffee consumption on arterial stiffness, evaluated using an oscillometric method

Introduction: Previous studies show contradictory results related to the vascular effects of coffee; they suggest that caffeine increases arterial stiffness and negatively impacts vascular health, the aim of this study is to evaluate the acute coffee effects on the vascular stiffness. Methods and materials: We carried out a controlled, blind, cohort study in healthy subjects. The acute effect of coffee (caffeinated vs. decaffeinated) was evaluated on arterial stiffness parameters, using a oscillometric method known as Arteriograph® (TensioMed-Budapest-Hungary, Ltd.). Each subject received 14 gr. of caffeinated excelso-coffee (caffeine-151.2 mg) and decaffeinated excelso-coffee (caffeine-3.92 mg), two weeks apart in a random order. The parameters were obtained under stable baseline conditions before drinking the coffee, 30 and 60 min later. Results: Thirty-two subjects were included, with an age of 46.2 ± 10.4 years, sixteen men. Consumption of caffeinated-coffee at 30 and 60 min increased statistically significant (p < 0.05) brachial-systolic-blood-pressure in 3.9 mmHg and 3.8 mmHg, brachial-diastolic-blood-pressure in 4.1 mmHg and 3.2 mmHg, mean-arterial-pressure in 4.0 mmHg and 3.3 mmHg, central-systolic-blood-pressure in 5.8 mmHg and 7.6 mmHg, brachial-AIX 9.9% and 12.3%, aortic-AIX 5.1% and 6.3%, decreased heart-rate by 4 beats/min and 5 beats/min respectively, and it not demonstrated that had an impact on the pulse wave velocity (p = 0.861). Decaffeinated-coffee increased the braquial-AIX (7.1–10.5%) and aortic-AIX (3.55–5.3%) and decreased the heart-rate (3–4 beats/min). Conclusions: This study suggests for the first time that drinking caffeinated coffee slightly increases peripheral arterial stiffness at the expense of increased vascular tone in distal arteries without changes in central stiffness. Further studies are needed to clarify whether these effects induced by coffee have an impact on the population health.