Why the study?
Factors associated with maximal intima-media thickness of the carotid artery, particularly plaques >1.5 mm, needed investigation in a geographically coherent population in Japan.
Is hypertension associated with a maximal carotid intima-media thickness > 1.5 mm in a Japanese population without prior cardiovascular disease?
Is hypertension associated with a maximal carotid intima-media thickness > 1.5 mm in a Japanese population without prior cardiovascular disease?
In a Japanese population without prior cardiovascular disease, hypertension was independently associated with a maximal carotid intima-media thickness > 1.5 mm, highlighting the importance of screening hypertensive patients for arteriosclerosis.
Hypertension was independently linked to carotid plaque; supports targeted ultrasonography screening in high-stroke areas but leaves causal links open.
Background: To investigate factors associated with the maximal intima-media thickness (max-IMT) of the carotid artery, particularly plaques of an max-IMT of >1.5 mm, in a geographically coherent population in Japan. Methods: A total of 1,073 residents underwent carotid artery ultrasonography during the health screening conducted in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, from October 2015 to March 2019. The observable visual field of max-IMT was evaluated in 929 participants without stroke or coronary artery disease. The results of a self-administered questionnaire survey examining risk factors for vascular disease were assessed, and factors associated with a max-IMT of >1.5 mm were analyzed. Results: Overall, 15.1% of the participants had a max-IMT of >1.5 mm. There were more elderly male patients and hypertensive patients (47.9% vs. 30.8%) in the max-IMT >1.5-mm group than in the max-IMT ≤1.5-mm group. The prevalence of dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus was higher in the max-IMT >1.5-mm group than in the max-IMT ≤1.5-mm group. Logistic regression analysis after adjusting for age and sex revealed that hypertension (odds ratio, 1.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-2.26; p = 0.0284) was the sole predictor of a max-IMT of >1.5 mm. Conclusion: Among residents in a relatively high stroke-related mortality region, hypertension was associated with a max-IMT of >1.5 mm. For prevention of stroke, screening tests, including carotid artery ultrasonography, must be employed for arteriosclerosis in patients with hypertension.
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Igarashi et al. (2021) studied this question.
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