Carotid Atherosclerosis Progression and Risk of Cardiovascular Events in a Community in Taiwan
Journal
Scientific Reports
Journal Volume
6
Pages
25733
Date Issued
2016
Author(s)
Abstract
The authors investigated the association between progression of carotid atherosclerosis and incidence of cardiovascular disease in a community cohort in Taiwan. Data has rarely been reported in Asian populations. Study subjects were 1,398 participants who underwent ultrasound measures of common carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and extracranial carotid artery plaque score at both 1994-1995 and 1999-2000 surveys. Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the risk of incident cardiovascular disease. During a median follow-up of 13 years (1999-2013), 71 strokes and 68 coronary events occurred. The 5-year individual IMT change was not associated with development of cardiovascular events in unadjusted and adjusted models. Among subjects without plaque in 1994-1995, we observed elevated risk associated with presence of new plaque (plaque score >0 in 1999-2000) in a dose-response manner in unadjusted and age-and sex-adjusted models. The associations attenuated and became statistically non-significant after controlling for cardiovascular risk factors (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] for plaque score >2 vs. 0: stroke, 1.61 [0.79-3.27], coronary events, 1.13 [0.48-2.69]). This study suggested that carotid plaque formation measured by ultrasound is associated increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular risk factors explain the associations to a large extent.
SDGs
Other Subjects
arterial wall thickness; atherosclerotic plaque; bioassay; cardiovascular disease; carotid artery disease; disease exacerbation; female; follow up; human; male; middle aged; pathology; proportional hazards model; risk factor; Taiwan; Cardiovascular Diseases; Carotid Artery Diseases; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Disease Progression; Endpoint Determination; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Proportional Hazards Models; Risk Factors; Taiwan
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
Type
journal article