University of Eastern Finland, Department of Medicine, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, Kuopio, Finland.
PLoS One. 2013 May 21;8(5):e64107. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064107. Print 2013.
Several previous epidemiologic studies have shown that high blood levels of carotenoids may be protective against early atherosclerosis, but results have been inconsistent. We assessed the association between atherosclerotic progression, measured by intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery wall, and serum levels of carotenoids.
We studied the effect of carotenoids on progression of early atherosclerosis in a population-based study. The association between concentrations of serum carotenoids, and intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery wall was explored in 840 middle-aged men (aged 46-65 years) from Eastern Finland. Ultrasonography of the common carotid arteries were performed at baseline and 7-year follow-up. Serum levels of carotenoids were analyzed at baseline. Changes in mean and maximum intima media thickness of carotid artery wall were related to baseline serum carotenoid levels in covariance analyses adjusted for covariates.
In a covariance analysis with adjustment for age, ultrasound sonographer, maximum intima media thickness, examination year, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, smoking, physical activity, serum LDL cholesterol, family history of coronary heart disease, antihypertensive medication and serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein, 7-year change in maximum intima media thickness was inversely associated with lycopene (p = 0.005), α-carotene (p = 0.002) and β-carotene (p = 0.019), respectively.
The present study shows that high serum concentrations of carotenoids may be protective against early atherosclerosis.
几项先前的流行病学研究表明，血液中类胡萝卜素水平较高可能对早期动脉粥样硬化有保护作用，但结果并不一致。我们评估了颈动脉壁内-中膜厚度测量的动脉粥样硬化进展与血清类胡萝卜素水平之间的关系。
我们在一项基于人群的研究中研究了类胡萝卜素对早期动脉粥样硬化进展的影响。在来自东芬兰的 840 名中年男性（年龄 46-65 岁）中，研究了血清类胡萝卜素浓度与颈动脉壁内-中膜厚度之间的关系。在基线和 7 年随访时对颈总动脉进行超声检查。在基线时分析血清类胡萝卜素水平。在协方差分析中，调整了年龄、超声医师、最大内-中膜厚度、检查年份、体重指数、收缩压、吸烟、身体活动、血清 LDL 胆固醇、冠心病家族史、降压药物和血清高敏 C 反应蛋白等混杂因素后，比较颈动脉壁内-中膜厚度的平均和最大厚度变化与基线血清类胡萝卜素水平之间的关系。
在调整年龄、超声医师、最大内-中膜厚度、检查年份、体重指数、收缩压、吸烟、身体活动、血清 LDL 胆固醇、冠心病家族史、降压药物和血清高敏 C 反应蛋白等混杂因素的协方差分析中，7 年最大内-中膜厚度的变化与番茄红素（p=0.005）、α-胡萝卜素（p=0.002）和β-胡萝卜素（p=0.019）呈负相关。
本研究表明，血清类胡萝卜素浓度较高可能对早期动脉粥样硬化有保护作用。
