Influence of hypertension and smoking as the single vascular risk factors on the intima-media thickness.
In order to compare the extent of early carotid atherosclerosis between patients with single vascular risk factors (smoking = SMO or hypertension = HYP) and risk-free normal subjects (= HCS), we used intimal-medial wall thickness (IMT) measurements of the common carotid artery. The age- and sex-adjusted mean IMTs were significantly higher in the HYP and SMO groups than in the HCS control group (p < 0.005 and p < 0.001, respectively). The estimated yearly progression rate of IMT (average difference in IMT/year age difference) was significantly higher in the HYP and SMO groups than in the HCS group (p < 0.05). In the total group, the age, hypertension, smoking and sex accounted for 52% of the variability of IMT. Our results show that the estimated yearly progression rate of IMT is slower in healthy and risk-free volunteers than previously detected and that the smoking and hypertension have a similar effect to the progression of early atherosclerosis. This also emphasises the influence of smoking in initial vascular remodelling process.
Csányi
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Department of Neurology, Aladár Petz County and Teaching Hospital, Györ, Hungary. saci@arrabonet.gyor.hu
Egervári
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Nagy
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D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D016014:Linear Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography