Risk factors for subclinical atherosclerosis in firefighters

• Published in: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine Vol. 54; no. 3; p. 328
• Main Authors: Burgess, Jefferey L, Kurzius-Spencer, Margaret, Gerkin, Richard D, Fleming, James L, Peate, Wayne F, Allison, Matthew
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2012
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Atherosclerosis - blood; Atherosclerosis - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Artery, Common - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Carotid Stenosis - blood; Carotid Stenosis - complications; Carotid Stenosis - diagnostic imaging; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Female; Fires; Humans; Hypertension - complications; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; P-Selectin - blood; Rescue Work; Risk Factors
• ISSN: 1536-5948
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0b013e318243298c

Heart disease is the leading cause of firefighter line-of-duty deaths. The study objectives were to identify early atherosclerotic disease through ultrasound measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and risk factors predicting increased CIMT and carotid plaque. Following ultrasound evaluation of 597 Phoenix and Tucson firefighters, logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for mean CIMT greater than 75th percentile and for carotid plaque. Age, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of 100 mg/dL or more, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significant independent predictors of increased CIMT. Age, hypertension, LDL-C, and plasma soluble P-selectin were significant predictors of carotid plaque. This study supports an emphasis on traditional risk factors for atherosclerotic disease in firefighters, in particular maintaining LDL-C less than 100 mg/dL. Plasma soluble P-selectin may help identify firefighters at increased risk for carotid plaque.