OBJECTIVES: Although risk factors for coronary artery disease are also associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), there is little information available on the asymptomatic, young adult population. We examined the association between multiple cardiovascular risk factors and the common carotid IMT in 280 young Korean adults. METHODS: The data used for this study was obtained from 280 subjects (130 men and 150 women) aged 25 years who participated in the Kangwha Study follow-up examination in 2005. We measured cardiovascular risk factors, including anthropometrics, blood pressure, blood chemistry, carotid ultrasonography, and reviewed questionnaires on health behaviors. Risk factors were defined as values above the sex-specific 75th percentile of systolic blood pressure, body mass index, total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, fasting blood glucose and smoking status. RESULTS: The mean carotid IMT+/-standard deviation observed was 0.683+/-0.079 mm in men and 0.678+/-0.067 mm in women (p=0.567) and the evidence of plaque was not observed in any individuals. Mean carotid IMT increased with an increasing number of risk factors(p for trend <0.001) and carotid IMT values were 0.665 mm, 0.674 mm, 0.686 mm, 0.702 mm, and 0.748 mm for 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 to 5 risk factors, respectively. The odds ratio for having the top quartile carotid IMT in men with 3 or more risk factors versus 0-2 risk factors was 5.09 (95% CI, 2.05-12.64). CONCLUSIONS: Current findings indicate the need for prevention and control of cardiovascular risk factors in young adults and more focus on those with multiple cardiovascular risk factors.
Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Body Weights and Measures ; Cardiovascular Diseases/*epidemiology ; Carotid Arteries/*physiopathology/ultrasonography ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Tunica Intima/*physiopathology

Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is considered as a surrogate marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We determined the normative value of CIMT and correlates of CVD risk factors and Framingham risk score (FRS) in Korean rural middle-aged population. We measured CIMT with a B-mode ultrasonography in 1,759 subjects, aged 40 to 70 yr, in a population-based cohort in Korea. A healthy reference sample (n = 433) without CVD, normal weight and normal metabolic parameters was selected to establish normative CIMT values. Correlates between CIMT and conventional CVD risk factors were assessed in the entire population. Mean values of CIMT (in mm) for healthy reference sample aged 40-49, 50-59, and 60-70 yr were 0.55, 0.59, and 0.66 for men and 0.48, 0.55, and 0.63 for women, respectively. In multivariate regression analysis, CIMT was correlated with older age, higher BMI, male gender, higher LDL-cholesterol level and history of diabetes mellitus. The mean CIMT was also correlated with FRS in both gender (r2 = 0.043, P < 0.01 for men; r2 = 0.142, P < 0.01 for women). We identified normative value of CIMT for the healthy Korean rural middle-aged population. The CIMT is associated with age, obesity, gender, LDL-cholesterol, diabetes mellitus and FRS.
Adult ; Aged ; Atherosclerosis/epidemiology/*ultrasonography ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology/*ultrasonography ; Carotid Arteries/*ultrasonography ; Cholesterol, LDL/blood ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reference Values ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Rural Health

OBJECTIVETo establish the ultrasonographic criteria for normal size of infrarenal aorta (IRA) and common iliac arteries (CIA) of young males in a Chinese school and to determine the associations between IRA diameter (IRAD) and CIA diameter (CIAD) and body habitus as well as traditional cardiovascular risk factors.

METHODSCross-sectional study was done of 203 Chinese young males enrolled from a technical school in Beijing Changping district from May to June 2013. The IRA and CIA scans were carried out using ultrasonography. Longitudinal scans were used to assess aortic morphology and tortuosity. The maximum internal anteroposterior IRAD and CIAD in any area of the arteries were measured during the cardiac cycle. Participants information on demographic, medical history, smoking history and alcohol consumption was obtained through unified questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate linear regression was used to determine the associations between arterial diameter and body habitus as well as other risk factors.

RESULTSThe median participants age was 21.5 (ranging from 18 to 28) years. The IRAD was (13.4±1.9) mm, and the CIAD was (9.4±1.6) mm. There was no significant difference between the left and right CIAD. Waist circumference was significantly associated with increasing IRAD (P=0.03), while alcohol had an inverse correlation (P=0.04). Age, hip circumference were significantly associated with increasing CIAD (P=0.00, 0.04), while the systolic pressure and alcohol had inverse correlations (P=0.01, 0.00). By dividing the entire group into equal four groups using quartile values for both age and waist/hip circumference, the older group and the larger waist/hip circumference had greater arterial diameter.

CONCLUSIONSThe enrolled Chinese young males have smaller IRAD and CIAD compared with foreign older population. Age, waist circumference, hip circumference, alcohol and systolic pressure have statistically significance but small effects on arterial diameter.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aorta, Abdominal ; diagnostic imaging ; Beijing ; epidemiology ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography ; Waist Circumference ; Young Adult