What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Observational. Population: Hypertriglyceridemia (n=518). Intervention: High triglyceride levels vs. Optimal triglyceride levels (<100 mg/dL). Primary outcome: Increased carotid stiffness (PWV-ES) (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.06-1.40, p=0.006).

What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate the relationship between triglyceride levels and carotid stiffness in individuals with hypertriglyceridemia.

April 25, 2026Open Access

Association of triglyceride-driven residual atherosclerotic risk with carotid stiffening assessed using ultrafast ultrasound imaging in individuals with hypertriglyceridemia

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Elevated triglyceride levels were independently associated with increased carotid stiffness (OR 1.21) in individuals with normal LDL-C, indicating residual atherosclerotic risk.

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Elevated triglyceride levels are independently associated with increased carotid stiffness (OR 1.21) in individuals with normal LDL-C, indicating residual atherosclerotic risk. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Q: What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate the relationship between triglyceride levels and carotid stiffness in individuals with hypertriglyceridemia.

PDPing DaiTongji University ZZZhengqiu ZhuNanjing University of Chinese Medicine JXJiang XuezhongJiangsu Province Hospital

Key Result

Elevated triglyceride levels were independently associated with increased carotid stiffness (OR 1.21) in individuals with normal LDL-C, indicating residual atherosclerotic risk.

Key Points

To investigate the relationship between triglyceride levels and carotid stiffness in individuals with hypertriglyceridemia.
Individuals with hypertriglyceridemia underwent ultrafast ultrasound imaging to assess carotid stiffness.
Analysis focused on the association between triglyceride-driven residual risk and atherosclerotic changes.
Higher levels of triglycerides correlate with increased carotid stiffness in hypertriglyceridemic individuals.
Statistical significance was found in the correlation with a p-value of <0.05.

Study Design

Type

Observational (n=518)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Does hypertriglyceridemia increase carotid stiffness assessed by ultrafast pulse wave velocity in individuals without prior cardiovascular disease?

Population

n=518 participants without a history of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease, mean age 50.78, 47.3% male, from China. Key exclusions: cancer, kidney dysfunction, liver disease, blood disease, or pregnancy.

Intervention

High or normal-high triglyceride levels (TG-high ≥150 mg/dL [≥1.69 mmol/L] or TG-normal 100–149 mg/dL [1.13–1.68 mmol/L])

Comparator

Optimal triglyceride levels (TG-optimal <100 mg/dL [<1.12 mmol/L])

Outcome

Carotid stiffness assessed by pulse wave velocity at the end of systole (PWV-ES) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) using ultrafast ultrasound imagingsurrogate

Ultrafast pulse wave velocity reveals that elevated triglycerides are independently associated with increased carotid stiffness, highlighting residual atherosclerotic risk even in patients with normal LDL-C.

Main Result

Effect estimate: OR 1.21 (95% CI 1.06-1.40)

Absolute Event Rate: 8.26% vs 7.56%

p-value: p=0.006

Limitations

Retrospective observational design cannot establish causality
Multiple subgroup comparisons without adjustment for multiple testing
Prior long-term exposure to elevated LDL-C may have caused irreversible vascular changes
Fasting rather than non-fasting TG measurements were used
Single-center study with a limited sample size

Abstract

Ultrasonography (renamed from the Journal of Korean Society of Ultrasound in Medicine in January 2014), the official English-language journal of the Korean Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (KSUM), is an international peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to practice, research, technology, and education dealing with medical ultrasound, Aims and Scope:Ultrasonography (renamed from the Journal of Korean Society of Ultrasound in Medicine in January 2014), the official English-language journal of the Korean Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (KSUM), is an international peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to practice, research, technology, and education dealing with medical ultrasound.It is published four times per year: January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1. Original articles, topical reviews, pictorial essays, and notable case reports are published in Ultrasonography covering state-of-the-art content. Ultrasonography also serves as a medium for cooperation among physicians and specialists from around the world who are focusing on various ultrasound technology and disease problems.

KI fragen

Bookmark

View Full Paper