title: [Carotid intima-media thickness in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia: associated factors and changes following 1 year of treatment].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the factors associated with intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid plaques in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and to assess the evolution following 1 year of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects (n=201) diagnosed as having probable or definite FH according to the MED-PED criteria had a clinical history, physical examination, blood chemistry and lipid profile determined. Ultrasound was used to measure the IMT in both common carotid arteries and to assess the presence of plaques. The measurements were repeated in 123 of the patients after 1 year of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age (standard deviation) was 47.8 (13.2) years; 46.3% were males; 11.4% had a clinical history of cardiovascular disease (CVD); 15.9% were hypertensive; 26.4% were smokers; mean plasma total cholesterol concentration was 362 (49)mg/dL; 66.2% had received previous treatment with statins. In the multivariate analysis, baseline IMT was directly associated with age and history of CVD and inversely related to the years of treatment with statins. The presence of carotid plaques was associated directly with the cholesterol-years index and inversely with years of treatment with statins. The mean LDL-cholesterol reduction at 1 year of treatment was 50%. Neither the IMT nor the percentage of patients with plaques changed significantly following 1 year of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intensive hypocholesterolemic treatment in our patients with probable or definite FH did not increase significantly either the carotid IMT or the prevalence of plaques.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Carlos III, Madrid, España. clahoz.hciii@salud.madrid.org
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lahoz
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mostaza
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: San Martín
authors.forename: María F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: García Iglesias
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frías
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peraira
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Laguna
mesh_terms: D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents