Associations of cardiovascular risk factors with two surrogate markers of subclinical atherosclerosis: endothelial function and carotid intima media thickness.

OBJECTIVE

Endothelial function and carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) were investigated in a cohort of 54 healthy adults without known cardiovascular disease.

METHODS

Pulse wave amplitude was determined with peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) to obtain the reactive hyperemia (RH)-PAT ratio. Ultrasound was used to determine cIMT.

RESULTS

cIMT and RH-PAT were significantly associated (rho=-0.35, P=0.02) in univariate analysis. RH-PAT was significantly associated with age, triglycerides, fasting glucose, HDL, WHR, waist circumference and VAT. cIMT was associated with age, smoking history, fasting glucose, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and LDL. In multivariate regression analyses, triglyceride level (P=0.04) remained a significant determinant of RH-PAT whereas systolic blood pressure (P=0.02) and smoking pack-year history (P=0.046) were significant determinants of cIMT.

CONCLUSION

Determinants of cIMT and RH-PAT were different, dominated by triglyceride and abdominal adiposity measures for RH-PAT but traditional risk factors including blood pressure, glucose, smoking and LDL for cIMT.