Quantitative assessment of carotid atherosclerosis in a healthy population.
To evaluate the prevalence and extent of carotid atherosclerosis in a general healthy population, duplex ultrasound imaging was performed in 909 men and women aged 40-79 years as part of the prospective Bruneck Ischemic Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Study. Atherosclerotic lesions were found in 47.8% of men and 36.3% of women. Sex differences in the prevalence rates were most pronounced from age 40 to 60 years with a convergence occurring in the 7th decade. The age range of 60-69 years was found to be the crucial period for the development of advanced carotid artery disease. The frequency of internal carotid artery stenosis (> 50%) in elderly men and women (60-79 years) was 10.5 and 5.5%. In nonstenotic carotid artery disease the lumen diameter turned out to be a useful indirect measure of the vascular status.
Kiechl
S
S
Department of Neurology, University Clinic Innsbruck, Austria.
Willeit
J
J
Rungger
G
G
Egger
G
G
Oberhollenzer
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance