Association of Conventional Cardiovascular Risk Factors with Carotid Atherosclerosis Prevalence in General Population

Aim. To study the relationship between conventional cardiovascular risk factors and prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) in general unorganized population. Material and methods. In the cross-sectional population-based study of general unorganized population of Tomsk aged 25-64 years ultrasound screening examination of the carotid arteries was done for detection of atherosclerotic plaques (plaque). As potential plaque determinants the following factors were studied: age, gender, smoking, low and high density lipoproteins (LDL-C and HDL-C), triglycerides, arterial hypertension, body mass index (BMI), low educational status (LES), high-sensitive C-reactive protein, glucose, diabetes mellitus, antihypertensive and hypolipidemic therapy. Study of relationships was carried out with logistic regression analysis. The error probability of less than 5% was considered statistically significant. Results. In the crude analysis most of the determinants under study showed statistically significant relationship with plaque presence. After adjustment for age and sex, LDL-C, smoking and LES were associated with CAS prevalence. In multivariable regression analysis 9 risk factors appeared to be independently associated with plaque presence, wherein age, male sex, LDL-C, BMI and HDL-C were the most significant. In the participants of 50 years and older the smoking effect was the next in significance after LDL-C. Conclusion. The results obtained focus attention on the comparative value of the major atherogenic risk factors and suggest that currently effective and timely control of LDL-C is of primary importance for prevention of carotid atherosclerosis in the general working-age population. As well the findings of the study evidence that at the population level smoking is still one of the leading atherogenic risk factors.