Carotid intima-media thickness in low-risk individuals with asymptomatic atherosclerosis: baseline data from the METEOR study.

OBJECTIVE

Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is an index for changes in atherosclerosis burden and changes in CIMT may relate to clinical events. We present baseline data from the METEOR study, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of rosuvastatin 40 mg on changes in CIMT. We set out to compare differences in CIMT between several subgroups of individuals.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of 984 individuals aged 45-70 years (men) or 55-70 (women) were randomized. Participants were required to have: maximum CIMT > or = 1.2-< 3.5 mm; 2+ risk factors and 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk < 10%, or < 2 CHD risk factors. Demographic characteristics were compared in two groups: USA versus Europe, and individuals with maximum CIMT < 2 mm versus those with CIMT > or = 2 mm.

BASELINE DATA

Overall, mean age was 57 years and mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 152 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L). Body mass index (BMI), triglyceride and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were all higher in US individuals, whereas smoking, hypertension and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were higher in Europeans. Mean CIMT levels were the same in both populations, and the percentage of individuals with > or = 2 CHD risk factors was similar. Increased baseline CIMT (> 2 mm) was related to increasing age, male gender, smoking, hypertension and lipid levels.

CONCLUSIONS

In this global trial, differences in baseline characteristics between participants from the USA and Europe are apparent. However, a strong association between CIMT and several cardiovascular risk factors was observed across the two continents.