Abstract
Objective: To assess the association between common carotid intima-media thickness and several indicators of cardiovascular risk in elderly persons (≥ 55 years). Setting. The suburb of Ommoord in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Design. Cross-sectional study. Method. In the first 1000 participants of a single-centre population-based cohort study (the Rotterdam Study), ultrasonography of both carotid arteries was performed, peripheral atherosclerosis was assessed by determination of the ankle-arm systolic blood pressure index, and information on cardiovascular history and risk factors was obtained. Results. Increasing age, male gender, a decreased serum HDL cholesterol level and presence of hypertension were significantly associated with an increased common carotid intima-media thickness. An increased body mass index was related to intima-media thickness in men only. Current smoking was associated with an increased intima-media thickness (p = 0.06). No association was found for serum total cholesterol. Subjects with a history of cardiovascular disease had a significantly increased intima-media thickness. An increase in common carotid intima-media thickness was associated with a decrease in ankle-arm index. Conclusion. An increased common carotid intima-media thickness is an indicator of atherosclerosis elsewhere in the arterial system and of cardiovascular risk.
Translated title of the contribution | Common carotid intima-media thickness and cardiovascular risk; the Rotterdam study |
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Original language | Dutch |
Pages (from-to) | 550-555 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde |
Volume | 140 |
Issue number | 10 |
Publication status | Published - 9 Mar 1996 |