title: Factors associated with low levels of subclinical vascular disease in older adults: multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.
abstract: Coronary artery calcium (CAC), carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), and reduced ankle brachial indices (ABI) are markers of subclinical vascular disease strongly associated with aging. The authors identified factors associated with low levels of subclinical vascular disease in 1824 participants 70 years and older in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. A total of 452 had low CAC (<25th percentile), 441 had low CIMT (<25th percentile), 1636 had normal ABI (>0.9), and 165 had a combination index indicating favorable values for all 3 parameters. This combination index was independently associated with younger age (odds ratio [OR] 2.5 per 1 SD [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.8-3.6]), female sex (OR 3.0 [95% CI, 1.9-4.8]), lower body mass index (OR 1.6 per 1 SD [95% CI, 1.2-2.0]), absence of hypertension (OR 1.8 [95% CI, 1.2-2.6]), absence of dyslipidemia (OR 1.6 [95% CI, 1.04-2.4]), and never-smoking (OR 1.7 [95% CI, 1.1-2.6]). No significant associations were observed for C-reactive protein, education, diet, or physical activity. Favorable levels of multiple traditional risk factors, but not several novel risk factors, were associated with subclinical markers of successful cardiovascular aging.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University, Carnegie 568, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. edonnell@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Erin D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Michos
authors.forename: Kenneth M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Moyses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szklo
authors.forename: Gregory L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Siscovick
authors.forename: Russell P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Tracy
authors.forename: R Graham
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nettleton
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Greenland
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Post
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000792:Angiography; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol