Population-based Cohort Study in Outcome of Phased Progression of Atherosclerosis in China (PERSUADE): objective, rationale and design.

The coronary artery calcification score and pericardial fat volume have recently been reported to be strongly associated with the severity and presence of coronary atherosclerosis. However, no studies have explored the outcome of phased progression of atherosclerosis by non-contrast computed tomography in asymptomatic people in China. The population-based cohort study in outcome of phased progression of atherosclerosis in China (PERSUADE), an observational, longitudinal and prospective cohort study in a target population of healthy subjects based in Jidong Oilfield (China), prospectively analyzes the outcome of phased progression of atherosclerosis by non-contrast computed tomography in healthy population. The results of this study are expected to be of value for utilizing noninvasive imaging combine with traditional cardiovascular risk factors to create a risk stratification and find pertinent biomarkers associated with the outcome of phased progression of atherosclerosis in healthy people, thereby could help to establish a more personalized treatment of clinical practice.