Ultrasound determined carotid and femoral atherosclerosis in Lithuanian and Swedish men: the LiVicordia study.
Coronary heart disease mortality is four times higher in Lithuanian compared to Swedish middle-aged men. Using the same equipment (Acuson XP10 with 5 MHz linear transducer) and staff, we compared the amount of atherosclerosis in carotid and femoral arteries in 100 randomly sampled 50-year-old men in each of the cities Vilnius, Lithuania and Linköping, Sweden. Atherosclerotic plaques were more abundant in Vilnius men compared to Linköping men (53 versus 28% in the common carotid artery, 73 versus 37% in the common femoral artery, P < 0.001 for both). Plaques were thicker and more extended in arteries of Vilnius men, and an ultrasound atherosclerosis score was higher in both carotid and femoral arteries (P < 0.001 for all). More Vilnius men had a maximal intima-media thickness of the common femoral artery above 1 mm (P<0.005). Stiffness in the common carotid artery was higher in Vilnius men (P<0.001). In a linear regression model of the pooled material, after adjustment for city was made, smoking, systolic blood pressure, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and beta-carotene (inversely) significantly contributed to a high total ultrasound score (r2 = 0.32). These findings show that the higher coronary mortality noted in Lithuanian men goes together with a higher prevalence of early peripheral atherosclerosis.
Kristenson
M
M
Department of Health and Environment, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping, Sweden. margareta.kristenson@lio.se
Lassvik
C
C
Bergdahl
B
B
Kucinskiène
Z
Z
Aizieniène
L
L
Bo
Z
Z
Elinder
L S
LS
Olsson
A G
AG
D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004548:Elasticity; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography