Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Nutritional Intake are not Associated with Ultrasound-defined Increased Carotid Intima Media Thickness in Individuals Without a History of Cardiovascular Events

• Published in: International journal of preventive medicine Vol. 5; no. 11; pp. 1412 - 1421
• Main Authors: Azarpazhooh, Mahmoud Reza, Kazemi-Bajestani, Seyyed Mohammad Reza, Esmaeili, Habib, Vedadian, Payam, Ebrahimi, Mahmoud, Parizadeh, Seyyed Mohammad Reza, Heidari-Bakavoli, Ali Reza, Moohebati, Mohsen, Safarian, Mohammad, Mokhber, Naghmeh, Nematy, Mohsen, Mazidi, Mohsen, Ferns, Gorden A, Ghayour-Mehrabani, Majid
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Iran Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd 01.11.2014; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Carotid artery atherosclerosis; duplex ultrasound; intima-media thickness; nutritional intake; Original; risk factors; Carotid artery atherosclerosis; intima-media thickness; nutritional intake; risk factors; duplex ultrasound
• ISSN: 2008-7802; 2008-8213

Carotid ultrasound appears to be useful in the assessment of cardiovascular risk. In this study, we have assessed the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in a group of individuals without a history of cardiovascular events. A sample of 431subjects (189 [43.9%] males and 242 [56.1%] females) was obtained from an urban population using a stratified-cluster method in Mashhad stroke and heart atherosclerosis disorder study. None of the subjects had a history of the cardiovascular event. Carotid artery duplex ultrasound was used to determine the CIMT in all subjects, and to identify those with an abnormal value (CIMT [+]; i.e., CIMT ≥ 0.8 mm). Dietary intake of participants was assessed using a questionnaire for 24-h dietary recall. The relationship between anthropometric, biochemical and dietary data and CIMT were assessed. The mean age of subjects was 48.7 ± 8.0 years. Of the 431 patients, 118 (27.4%) were found to be CIMT (+). Of the cardiovascular parameters assessed, only age (odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (CI)], 1.11 [0.56-4.34]; P < 0.01) and male gender (OR [95% CI], 1.14 [0.63-2.23]; P < 0.05) were significant independent predictors of ultrasound defined CIMT. Crude and total energy adjusted intake were not associated with the presence of CIMT (+). It appears that within a relatively young Iranian population of individuals without a history of cardiovascular event, the presence of CIMT (+) defined by duplex ultrasound cut-off value of ≥0.8 mm, did not associate with several modifiable cardiovascular risk factors or measures of dietary intake.