title: The intake of flavonoids and carotid atherosclerosis: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study.
abstract: The role of flavonoids in CVD is still unclear. In this cross-sectional study we assessed the relation between the intakes of twenty-six flavonoids from five subclasses: flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavan-3-ols and anthocyanidins, and the mean common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT). The study population consisted of 1380 middle-aged eastern Finnish men for whom the mean CCA-IMT examinations were carried out as a part of the prospective population-based Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (KIHD). The mean intake of flavonoids was 128.5 (sd 206.7) mg/d and the mean CCA-IMT was 0.78 (sd 0.17) mm. In the lowest quartile of total flavonoid intake the non-adjusted mean CCA-IMT was 0.79 (sd 0.19) mm, while the mean CCA-IMT was 0.76 (sd 0.15) in the highest quartile (P < 0.001). After adjustment for age, variables related to CCA-IMT measurement, history of atherosclerosis, smoking, BMI, diabetes, systolic blood pressure, serum HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, VO2 max, and intakes of alcohol, SFA, folate, vitamins C and E, the total flavonoid intake was inversely associated with the mean CCA-IMT (P = 0.018). Out of different flavonoid subclasses, flavan-3-ols were inversely associated with CCA-IMT (P = 0.025) after statistical adjustment. There was a trend for an inverse association between intake of flavonols and mean CCA-IMT (P = 0.055). We conclude that high intake of flavonoids is associated with decreased carotid atherosclerosis in middle-aged Finnish men.
authors.affiliation: The Research Institute of Public Health, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland. jaakko.mursu@uku.fi
authors.forename: Jaakko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mursu
authors.forename: Tarja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nurmi
authors.forename: Tomi-Pekka
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Tuomainen
authors.forename: Anu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruusunen
authors.forename: Jukka T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Salonen
authors.forename: Sari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Voutilainen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005387:Finland; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005419:Flavonoids