OBJECTIVETo explore the association of hypertension and carotid atherosclerosis in a general population in China.

METHODSA population-based epidemiological survey on cardiovascular diseases was performed in autumn, 2002. A total of 1198 rural residents with 426 men and 776 women aged 43 - 73 years, underwent carotid duplex examination. Hypertension was classified into 6 groups of optimal, normal, high-normal, stage 1, 2 and 3.

RESULTS(1) A significant positive dose-response relation was found between hypertension categories, duration of hypertension and intima-media thickness (IMT) in both genders (trend test P < 0.01). After adjustment of age, body mass index, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose and smoking, the relation did not change. The associations between duration of hypertension and IMT disappeared after further adjustment with blood pressure. (2) The occurrence of plaque was positively associated with blood pressure groups and duration of hypertension, as well as in the age-adjusted models. The associations between duration of hypertension and plaque weakened or disappeared after further adjustment with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure or hypertension categories.

CONCLUSIONHypertension was associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis. Prolonged course of disease might aggravate the carotid atherosclerosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Arteriosclerosis ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; epidemiology ; Carotid Stenosis ; diagnostic imaging ; epidemiology ; etiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; classification ; complications ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Rural Health ; Ultrasonography

This study aimed to investigate prevalence of asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (ACAS) in Korean patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and identify predictive factors of ACAS in patients with PAD. Between 1994 and 2008, 546 patients who underwent bypass surgery due to PAD were identified in a single tertiary teaching hospital. Of those, 409 patients underwent preoperative screening carotid duplex ultrasonography (CDUS). Patients who had an episode of cerebrovascular event or previous carotid artery intervention were excluded and then a retrospective analysis was made of 340 patients. The degree of internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis was determined by the criteria of Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound Consensus Conference. To determine the risk factors of ACAS, demographic, coexisting medical condition and lesion characteristics were tested with binary logistic regression model. The prevalence of > or =70% ICA stenosis was 14%. ICA occlusion was detected in 7.1%. Multivariate analysis revealed age >65 yr (OR: 2.610, 95% CI: 1.197-5.691) and coronary artery disease (CAD, OR: 2.333, 95% CI: 1.169-4.657) are predictive factors of > or =70% stenosis. A PAD patient who needs revascularization, particularly, >65 yr or has a concomitant CAD, can be a good candidate of screening CDUS.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Atherosclerosis/complications ; Carotid Stenosis/complications/epidemiology/*ultrasonography ; Chronic Disease ; Coronary Artery Disease/diagnosis ; Demography ; Female ; Humans ; Ischemia/complications ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Arterial Disease/*complications/surgery ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; *Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex

We attempted to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of carotid artery stenosis in Korea. Twenty thousand seven hundred twelve individuals who underwent carotid artery ultrasonography for health screening between March 2005 and March 2010 were retrospectively evaluated. The population was divided into four groups, according to the degree of stenosis, as Group A, below 29%; Group B, 30% to 49%; Group C, 50% to 74%; Group D, above 75%. The medical records of the individuals were investigated, and Fisher's exact test, chi-square tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests and a binary logistic regression model were used for statistical analysis. The prevalence of carotid stenosis was Group B, 5.5%; Group C, 0.9%; Group D, 0.1%. Old age, male gender, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease were significantly higher in Groups C and D (P = 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, 0.048, and 0.001, respectively). Among the males aged over 65 yr, the prevalence of carotid stenosis > or = 50% and > or = 30% were 4.0% and 18.2%, respectively. Asymptomatic carotid stenosis is not uncommon in Korea. Carotid ultrasonography is necessary for people with above-listed risk factors.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carotid Stenosis/complications/*epidemiology/ultrasonography ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Hypertension/complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Ischemia/complications ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors