OBJECTIVETo explore the impact of ideal health behaviors on the newly developed carotid plaques.

METHODSA total of 5 852 employees (including retired employees from Tangshan Kailuan company) aged over 40 years were included in this study through stratified random sampling. Subjects with previous stroke, transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction were excluded. Results from the unified questionnaire, blood biochemistry measurements and ultrasonography carotid artery measurements were analyzed. Present study analyzed the data from 2 372 participants without carotid plaques in 2010-2011 examinations. The newly developed carotid plaques in 2012-2013 health examinations were observed and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to explore the impact of ideal health behaviors and factors on the newly developed carotid plaques.

RESULTS(1) There were 359 subjects with newly developed carotid artery plaques among the 2 372 subjects (15.1%), prevalence rate was 23.1% (43/186), 17.5% (186/1 065), 12.4% (122/986), 5.9% (8/135) in the groups with 0-1, 2-3, 4-5 and 6-7 components of ideal cardiovascular health behaviors and factors, respectively (P < 0.001). (2) Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age, gender, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, heart rate, and high sensitive c-reactive protein, compared to with 0-1 components of ideal cardiovascular health behaviors and factors, participants with 4-5 and 6-7 components of ideal cardiovascular health behaviors and factors were associated with reduced risk of the newly developed carotid plaques, the OR (95% CI) values were 0.52(0.34-0.80) and 0.28(0.12-0.64), respectively.

CONCLUSIONHigher number of ideal cardiovascular health behaviors and factors is associated with lower incidence of newly developed carotid plaques.