Subclinical Carotid Atherosclerosis Burden in the Japanese: Comparison between Okinawa and Nagano Residents

AIM: The prevalence of overweight and a change in atherosclerotic lipid profiles may be linked to region-specific differences in atherosclerotic diseases. We evaluated whether the lipid phenotype could be linked to region- and sex-specific differences in the degree of atherosclerosis. METHODS: Non-diabetic subjects included Okinawa (n=1674) and Nagano (n=1392) residents aged 30-75 years who underwent carotid ultrasonography for the measurement of maximum intima-media thickness (max IMT). RESULTS: Average max IMT was higher in Okinawa men and women, and the increase in max IMT with age was enhanced in men. Multiple regression analysis showed that in addition to age and systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were IMT determinants only in men for both Okinawa and Nagano. Meanwhile, HDL-cholesterol was a determinant for Okinawa men and women, but not for Nagano men and women. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report to show region- and sex-specific differences in the determinants for max IMT in a Japanese population. The evaluation of the relationship between lipid profile patterns and region- and sex-specific differences in carotid atherosclerosis burden may be required.