Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Oct 1;30(10):1471-1482.
doi: 10.5551/jat.64039. Epub 2023 Feb 11.

Carotid Intima Media Thickness and Risk Factor for Atherosclerosis: Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Cohort Study

Masato Takase  1 , Naoki Nakaya  1   2 , Tomohiro Nakamura  1   2 , Mana Kogure  1   2 , Rieko Hatanaka  1   2 , Kumi Nakaya  1   2 , Ippei Chiba  1   2 , Ikumi Kanno  1   2 , Kotaro Nochioka  1   2   3 , Naho Tsuchiya  1   2 , Takumi Hirata  4 , Yohei Hamanaka  2 , Junichi Sugawara  1   2   3 , Tomoko Kobayashi  1   2   3 , Nobuo Fuse  2 , Akira Uruno  2 , Eiichi N Kodama  2   5 , Shinichi Kuriyama  1   2   5 , Ichiro Tsuji  1   2 , Atsushi Hozawa  1   2
Affiliations

Carotid Intima Media Thickness and Risk Factor for Atherosclerosis: Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Cohort Study

Masato Takase et al. J Atheroscler Thromb. .

Abstract

Aim: We examined the association between the carotid intima medica thickness (cIMT) and risk factors for atherosclerosis based on the Japan Atherosclerosis Society 2022 Atherosclerosis Prevention Guideline.

Methods: Using data from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-based Cohort Study, we performed a cross-sectional study that enrolled 13,366 participants (age ≥ 20 years) with an analysis of covariance to assess associations between cIMT and risk factors for atherosclerosis. The maximum common carotid artery was measured using high-resolution B-mode ultrasound. Analysis was conducted in the model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, drinking status, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (non-HDL-C), and height.

Results: In this study cohort, the average age and cIMT were 57.3 (13.8) years and 0.61 (0.13) mm, respectively, which included 3,988 males (29.8%). Males had a higher cIMT than did the females. Age, height, BMI, SBP, HbA1c, and non-HDL-C were positively associated with cIMT. HDL-C was inversely associated with cIMT. Compared with never drinkers, current drinkers (≥ 46.0 g/day) had a significantly decreased cIMT.

Conclusions: The cIMT was associated with atherosclerosis risk factors including age, sex, BMI, SBP, HbA1c, non-HDL-C, and HDL-C, and adequate control of risks in high-risk individuals might be required to prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Carotid intima media thickness; Epidemiology; Risk factor.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig.1. Association between height and cIMT (in the model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, BMI, SBP, HbA1c, HDL-C, non-HDL-C, and drinking status)
Fig.1. Association between height and cIMT (in the model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, BMI, SBP, HbA1c, HDL-C, non-HDL-C, and drinking status)
p for difference was derived from Dunnett’s test using height＜150 cm as the reference. Bars represent 95% confidence intervals. p for difference showed as following: ＊p＜0.05, ＊＊p＜0.01, ＊＊＊p＜0.001. p for trend was calculated by scoring the height categories and entering the number as a continuous term in the regression model. Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; cIMT, carotid intima media thickness; HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; LS, least square; non-HDL-C, non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; SBP, systolic blood pressure.
Fig.2. Association between SBP and cIMT (in the model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, BMI, HbA1c, HDL-C, non-HDL-C, drinking status, and height)
Fig.2. Association between SBP and cIMT (in the model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, BMI, HbA1c, HDL-C, non-HDL-C, drinking status, and height)
p for difference was derived from Dunnett’s test using SBP＜100 mmHg as the reference. Bars represent 95% confidence intervals. p for difference showed as following: ＊p＜0.05, ＊＊p＜0.01, ＊＊＊p＜0.001. p for trend was calculated by scoring the SBP categories and entering the number as a continuous term in the regression model. Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; cIMT, carotid intima media thickness; HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; LS, least square; non-HDL-C, non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; SBP, systolic blood pressure.
Fig.3. Association between BMI and cIMT (in the model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, SBP, HbA1c, HDL-C, non-HDL-C, drinking status, and height)
Fig.3. Association between BMI and cIMT (in the model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, SBP, HbA1c, HDL-C, non-HDL-C, drinking status, and height)
p for difference was derived from Dunnett’s test using BMI＜16.0 kg/m2 as the reference. Bars represent 95% confidence intervals. p for difference showed as following: ＊p＜0.05, ＊＊p＜0.01, ＊＊＊p＜0.001. p for trend was calculated by scoring the BMI categories and entering the number as a continuous term in the regression model. Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; cIMT, carotid intima media thickness; HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; LS, least square; non-HDL-C, non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; SBP, systolic blood pressure.
Fig.4. Association between non-HDL-C and cIMT (in the model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, BMI, SBP, HbA1c, HDL-C, drinking status, and height)
Fig.4. Association between non-HDL-C and cIMT (in the model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, BMI, SBP, HbA1c, HDL-C, drinking status, and height)
p for difference was derived from Dunnett’s test using non-HDL＜90 mg/dl as the reference. Bars represent 95% confidence intervals. p for difference showed as following: ＊p＜0.05, ＊＊p＜0.01, ＊＊＊p＜0.001. p for trend was calculated by scoring the non-HDL-C categories and entering the number as a continuous term in the regression model. Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; cIMT, carotid intima media thickness; HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; LS, least square; non-HDL-C, non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; SBP, systolic blood pressure.
Fig.5. Association between HDL-C and cIMT (in the model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, BMI, SBP, HbA1c, non-HDL-C, drinking status, and height)
Fig.5. Association between HDL-C and cIMT (in the model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, BMI, SBP, HbA1c, non-HDL-C, drinking status, and height)
p for difference was derived from Dunnett’s test using HDL-C＜40 mg/dl as the reference. Bars represent 95% confidence intervals. p for difference showed as following: ＊p＜0.05, ＊＊p＜0.01, ＊＊＊p＜0.001. p for trend was calculated by scoring the HDL-C categories and entering the number as a continuous term in the regression model. Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; cIMT, carotid intima media thickness; HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; LS, least square; non-HDL-C, non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; SBP, systolic blood pressure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Japan Atherosclerosis Society (JAS) Guidelines for Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases 2022. Accessed November 24,2022. https: //www.j-athero.org/jp/wp-content/uploads/publications/pdf/GL2022_s/jas_gl2... - PMC - PubMed
    1. O’Leary DH, Polak JF, Kronmal RA, Manolio TA, Burke GL, and Wolfson SK: Carotid-artery intima and media thickness as a risk factor for myocardial infarction and stroke in older adults. Cardiovascular Health Study Collaborative Research Group. N Engl J Med, 1999; 340: 14-22 - PubMed
    1. Nezu T, Hosomi N, Aoki S, and Matsumoto M: Carotid intima-media thickness for atherosclerosis. J Atheroscler Thromb, 2016; 23: 18-31 - PubMed
    1. Mannami T, Konishi M, Baba S, Nishi N, Terao A: Prevalence of asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic lesions detected by high-resolution ultrasonography and its relation to cardiovascular risk factors in the general population of a Japanese city: the Suita study. Stroke, 1997; 28: 518-525 - PubMed
    1. van der Meer IM, Iglesias del Sol A, Hak AE, Bots ML, Hofman A, and Witteman JC: Risk factors for progression of atherosclerosis measured at multiple sites in the arterial tree: the Rotterdam Study. Stroke, 2003; 34: 2374-2379 - PubMed