Obesity was associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness compared to lean women (1.02 vs 0.94 mm; P<0.005 for linear trend), independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
Cross-Sectional (n=310)
Is obesity and central fat distribution associated with increased carotid artery wall thickening in middle-aged women?
General and abdominal obesity are independently associated with increased carotid artery wall thickening, a marker of preclinical atherosclerosis, in middle-aged women.
Absolute Event Rate: 1.02% vs 0.94%
p-value: p=<0.005
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The association between obesity and atherosclerotic disease is controversial. In the present analysis, we evaluated whether common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and area, 2 markers of preclinical atherosclerosis, were increased in obese subjects. METHODS: More than 5000 middle-aged women (n=5062; age, 30 to 69 years) living in the area of Naples, Southern Italy, were recruited for a prospective, currently ongoing study on the etiology of cardiovascular disease and cancer in the female population (the Progetto ATENA study). A subsample of 310 participants underwent high-resolution B-mode ultrasound examination, and the IMTs, intima-media areas, and lumen diameters of common carotid arteries were measured with a semiautomated computerized program. Subjects were divided into 3 groups on the basis of the recently published obesity guidelines for body mass index (BMI), a marker of general obesity, and tertiles of waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), a marker of regional obesity. RESULTS: Women with a BMI >/=30 kg/m(2) showed higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures, triglycerides, and fasting glucose and insulin, as well as lower high-density lipoprotein concentrations, than subjects with lower BMI. A gradual increase in common carotid IMT and intima-media area was observed when lean women (0.94+/-0.01 mm and 19.8+/-0.5 mm(2), respectively) were compared with overweight (0.98+/-0.01 mm and 21.0+/-0.4 mm(2)) and obese (1.02+/-0.02 mm and 22.6+/-0.8 mm(2), P0.85) had adverse risk factor profiles and thicker carotid intima-media complex than those in the first 2 tertiles (P<0.01 and P<0.05 for IMT and intima-media area, respectively). In multivariate analyses, BMI and WHR were significant predictors of carotid wall thickness, independently of other traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors (age, blood pressure, lipid abnormalities, fasting insulin). CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicate a graded and independent association between general and abdominal obesity-reflected by high BMI and WHR-and carotid artery wall thickening in a population of middle-aged women.
Michele et al. (Sun,) conducted a cross-sectional in Preclinical atherosclerosis (n=310). Obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) and high waist-to-hip ratio vs. Lean women and lower waist-to-hip ratio was evaluated on Common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) (p=<0.005). Obesity was associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness compared to lean women (1.02 vs 0.94 mm; P<0.005 for linear trend), independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.