Associations between markers of subclinical atherosclerosis and dietary patterns derived by principal components analysis and reduced rank regression in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
BACKGROUND
The association between diet and cardiovascular disease (CVD) may be mediated partly through inflammatory processes and reflected by markers of subclinical atherosclerosis.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated whether empirically derived dietary patterns are associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC) and common and internal carotid artery intima media thickness (IMT) and whether prior information about inflammatory processes would increase the strength of the associations.


METHODS
At baseline, dietary patterns were derived with the use of a food-frequency questionnaire, and inflammatory biomarkers, CAC, and IMT were measured in 5089 participants aged 45-84 y, who had no clinical CVD or diabetes, in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Dietary patterns based on variations in C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, homocysteine, and fibrinogen concentrations were created with reduced rank regression (RRR). Dietary patterns based on variations in food group intake were created with principal components analysis (PCA).


RESULTS
The primary RRR (RRR 1) and PCA (PCA factor 1) dietary patterns were high in total and saturated fat and low in fiber and micronutrients. However, the food sources of these nutrients differed between the dietary patterns. RRR 1 was positively associated with CAC [Agatston score >0: OR (95% CI) for quartile 5 compared with quartile 1 = 1.34 (1.05, 1.71); ln(Agatston score = 1): P for trend = 0.023] and with common carotid IMT [>or=1.0 mm: OR (95% CI) for quartile 5 compared with quartile 1 = 1.33 (0.99, 1.79); ln(common carotid IMT): P for trend = 0.006]. PCA 1 was not associated with CAC or IMT.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that subtle differences in dietary pattern composition, realized by incorporating measures of inflammatory processes, affect associations with markers of subclinical atherosclerosis.
Nettleton
Jennifer A
JA
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. nettleton@epi.umn.edu
Steffen
Lyn M
LM
Schulze
Matthias B
MB
Jenny
Nancy S
NS
Barr
R Graham
RG
Bertoni
Alain G
AG
Jacobs
David R
DR
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000473:pathology; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000473:pathology; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000473:pathology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000473:pathology; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology
D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D006710:Homocysteine; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein