Aim To evaluate the changes of the arterial function in essential hypertensive(EH)patients with metabolic syndrome(MS).Methods 64 patients with EH were assigned into two groups:EH with MS group(n=32),EH without MS group(n=32).31 healthy subjects were served as normal control.Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity(BaPWV)was measured using an automatic device(VP1000),arterial elastic index(C1-large artery and C2-small artery)were measured by the CVProfiler-2020 pulse wave analysis instrument.Results BaPWV in EH with MS group(1 916.5±318.0 cm/s)and EH without MS group(1 757.6±313.9 cm/s)were higher than that in control group(1 517.9±315.0 cm/s,P<0.01 and <0.05);and BaPWV in EH with MS group was higher than that in EH without MS group(P<0.05).The magnitude of C1 and C2 reduced in proper order in control group,EH without MS group,EH with MS group(C1:113.2±46.2,91.1±35.0 and 66.6±31.1 mL/mmHg,P<0.01;C2:505±244,355±195 and 253±116 mL/mm Hg,P<0.05).Pearson correlation showed that BaPWV was positively related with age,systolic blood pressure,pulse pressure difference and triglyceride(P<0.01),negatively related with high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDLC)(P<0.01);C1 and C2 were positively related with HDLC(P<0.05 and 0.01),and negatively related with age,systolic blood pressure,pulse pressure difference and triglyceride(P<0.01).Conclusion MS may aggravate the dysfunction of artery in EH patients.