Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California Los Angeles CA USA.
Atherosclerosis Research Unit University of Southern California Los Angeles CA USA.
J Am Heart Assoc. 2024 Aug 6;13(15):e034821. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.124.034821. Epub 2024 Aug 5.
Echogenicity of the carotid arterial wall, measured by gray scale median of the intima-media complex (IM-GSM), is a novel subclinical atherosclerosis marker with lower values indicating greater lipid deposition. Our longitudinal study investigated IM-GSM from childhood to adulthood and its associated risk factors.
A total of 240 participants from the Southern California CHS (Children's Health Study) underwent carotid artery ultrasounds in 2008 (mean age±SD): (11.2±0.6 years), and again around 2022 (24.2±1.6 years) to assess IM-GSM, carotid artery intima-media thickness, and carotid artery distensibility. Questionnaires and anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were completed by participants at both times. Mean and SD of IM-GSM were 108.2±24.6 in childhood and 75.6±15.8 in adulthood. Each 1-year increase in age was associated with -2.52 change in IM-GSM (95% CI, -2.76 to -2.27). Childhood and adulthood IM-GSMs were highly correlated (β=0.13 [95% CI, 0.05-0.22]). In childhood, Hispanic ethnicity, lower parental education levels and prenatal father smoking were significantly associated with lower IM-GSM. In adulthood, higher systolic blood pressure, carotid artery intima-media thickness, hypertension, and lower distensibility were significantly associated with lower IM-GSM. Weight status exhibited a consistent association with both childhood and adulthood IM-GSM. During the transition from childhood to adulthood, individuals who shifted from normal weight to overweight/obese or normal blood pressure to hypertension or experienced an increase in carotid artery intima-media thickness displayed lower levels of IM-GSM in adulthood.
IM-GSM decreases with age. Maintaining healthy weight and blood pressure levels in children could potentially aid in preventing subclinical atherosclerosis.
通过测量内膜-中膜复合物（IM-GSM）的灰度中位数来评估颈动脉壁的回声性，这是一种新的亚临床动脉粥样硬化标志物，其值越低表明脂质沉积越多。我们的纵向研究调查了从儿童期到成年期的 IM-GSM 及其相关的危险因素。
共有 240 名来自南加州 CHS（儿童健康研究）的参与者在 2008 年（平均年龄±标准差）：（11.2±0.6 岁）进行了颈动脉超声检查，并于 2022 年左右（24.2±1.6 岁）再次进行了检查，以评估 IM-GSM、颈动脉内膜-中膜厚度和颈动脉扩张性。参与者在两次检查时都完成了问卷调查、人体测量和血压测量。儿童时期的 IM-GSM 平均值和标准差为 108.2±24.6，成年时期为 75.6±15.8。年龄每增加 1 岁，IM-GSM 变化-2.52（95%CI，-2.76 至-2.27）。儿童时期和成年时期的 IM-GSM 高度相关（β=0.13[95%CI，0.05-0.22]）。在儿童时期，西班牙裔、父母教育水平较低和产前父亲吸烟与较低的 IM-GSM 显著相关。在成年时期，较高的收缩压、颈动脉内膜-中膜厚度、高血压和较低的扩张性与较低的 IM-GSM 显著相关。体重状况与儿童时期和成年时期的 IM-GSM 均存在一致的关联。在从儿童期到成年期的过渡期间，从正常体重变为超重/肥胖、正常血压变为高血压、或颈动脉内膜-中膜厚度增加的个体在成年时的 IM-GSM 水平较低。
IM-GSM 随年龄增长而降低。在儿童时期保持健康的体重和血压水平可能有助于预防亚临床动脉粥样硬化。
