Higher SPISE levels were significantly associated with lower baPWV in Japanese adults, suggesting SPISE may serve as an easily obtainable metabolic marker associated with arterial stiffness.
Key Findings
Results
Higher SPISE levels were significantly associated with lower brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) after adjusting for all covariates.
baPWV decreased by 8.48 cm/s for each 1-unit higher SPISE (β = -8.48, 95% CI: -16.00 to -0.96; P = 0.027)
The cross-sectional dataset included 912 adults from a health screening program in Gifu, Japan
SPISE (Single-Point Insulin Sensitivity Estimator) is described as a simple insulin-free surrogate of insulin sensitivity
Linear regression techniques were used to estimate the independent association of SPISE with baPWV
Results
Adults in the highest SPISE quartile had significantly lower baPWV compared to those in the lowest quartile.
The highest SPISE quartile had significantly lower baPWV relative to the lowest quartile (β = -56.17, 95% CI: -101.49 to -10.85; P = 0.015)
There was a significant trend across quartiles (P for trend = 0.013)
SPISE was evaluated in two ways: per-unit variation and quartile grouping
Results
The association between SPISE and baPWV was generally linear and consistent across subgroups.
Spline-based modeling was used to explore the pattern of association
Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the findings
The association was described as 'generally linear and consistent across subgroups'
Results
The association between SPISE and baPWV was robust to lipid adjustment but attenuated and changed direction after further adjustment for blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose.
Sensitivity analyses showed the association was robust to lipid adjustment
The association attenuated and changed direction after further adjustment for systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and fasting plasma glucose
This suggests blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose may be important mediators or confounders in the SPISE-arterial stiffness relationship
Methods
The study design was cross-sectional, using data from a health screening program in Japan.
912 adults were included in the analysis
Data were sourced from a health screening program in Gifu, Japan
Arterial stiffness was measured using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), described as an early marker of vascular damage and cardiovascular risk
The cross-sectional design limits causal inference
What This Means
This research suggests that a simple blood test-free measure of insulin sensitivity called SPISE (Single-Point Insulin Sensitivity Estimator) is linked to arterial stiffness in Japanese adults. Arterial stiffness — measured by how fast a pulse wave travels through arteries (brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, or baPWV) — is an early warning sign of blood vessel damage and heart disease risk. The study found that people with higher SPISE scores, indicating better insulin sensitivity, tended to have lower arterial stiffness, with the most sensitive group showing notably lower stiffness readings than the least sensitive group.
The study analyzed health screening data from 912 adults in Gifu, Japan. The relationship between SPISE and arterial stiffness held up after accounting for many other factors, and statistical modeling confirmed the relationship was fairly consistent and linear across different subgroups of participants. However, when blood pressure and blood sugar levels were additionally accounted for in sensitivity analyses, the association weakened and even reversed direction, suggesting that blood pressure and blood sugar may play an important role in explaining the link between insulin sensitivity and arterial stiffness.
This research suggests that SPISE, which can be calculated without insulin measurements, could be a practical and accessible tool for identifying people who may be at risk for early vascular damage. Because the study was cross-sectional (a snapshot in time rather than following people over time), it cannot prove that lower insulin sensitivity causes greater arterial stiffness — only that the two are associated. Future longitudinal studies would be needed to clarify the direction and mechanisms of this relationship.
Liu Y, Guo X, Meng Z, Wang X, Chen H. (2026). Association of the single-point insulin sensitivity estimator with arterial stiffness: a cross-sectional analysis.. Frontiers in endocrinology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2026.1858246