OBJECTIVETo investigate carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and the correlated risk factors in Han, Uygur, Hazakh residents over 35 years old of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

METHODCross-sectional and cluster sampling random selected method was carried out for residents over 35 years old in Han, Uygur, Hazakh population of Xinjiang to investigate IMT and correlated risk factors.

RESULTSIMT of Han, Uygur, Hazakh residents over 35 years old of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region was (0.0761 ± 0.0283) cm, (0.0663 ± 0.0262) cm, and (0.0781 ± 0.0274) cm, respectively. There were significantly difference between various nationality (all P < 0.05). IMT was thicker in male Han people than in female Han people [(0.0807 ± 0.0288) cm vs. (0.0717 ± 0.0270) cm, P < 0.01] and in male Uygur than in female Uygur residents [(0.0706 ± 0.0270) cm vs. (0.0633 ± 0.0252) cm, P < 0.01] and in male Hazakh and female Hazakh residents [(0.0794 ± 0.0280) cm vs. (0.0768 ± 0.0268) cm, P < 0.01]. Linear correlation analysis showed that age (r = 0.176, P < 0.05), systolic blood pressure (r = 0.168, P < 0.05), diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.167, P < 0.05), fasting blood glucose (r = 0.053, P < 0.05), total cholesterol (r = 0.097, P < 0.05) and ankle brachial index (r = 0.067, P < 0.05) were significantly correlated with IMT.

CONCLUSIONSOur results showed that IMT was thicker in Hazakh residents than in Han and Uygur residents. IMT was closely related to known cardiovascular risk factors including age, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol and ankle brachial index level.