[The association of cardiovascular risk factors and prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis at 10 years].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and its impact on the 10-year prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis.

METHODS

Two surveys for CVD risk factors were carried out in a population consisting of 1323 subjects in Beijing in both 1992 and 2002 and a direct measurement of carotid arteries with B-mode ultrasound imaging were performed in 2002. Intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque of carotid arteries were regarded as the indicators of carotid atherosclerosis and main CVD risk factors were treated as the impact factors.

RESULTS

(1) 10-year prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis continually increased with elevated baseline risk factors levels. Age, smoking, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia were found to be independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis. (2) 10-year prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis increased with the elevated number of risk factors clustering in individuals. (3) The prevalence of IMT and plaque were 67.1% and 42.6% in subjects with CVD risk factors in both 1992 and 2002 surveys with Odds Ratios being 1.7 and 3.1 times as those without risk factors.

CONCLUSION

Traditional CVD risk factors exert impact on CVD and carotid atherosclerosis with different degrees and carotid atherosclerosis can be regarded as an early evaluation indicator for risk of atherosclerotic diseases.