title: [Cardiovascular risk factors among young subjects with high carotid intima media thickness].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular risk factor (RF) assessment is essential to prevent and predict cardiovascular disease. The presence of RF at early ages, are determinant for the presence of atherosclerosis later in life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the RF profile of young subjects with high carotid intima media thickness (CIMT).
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 689 subjects (50% women, mean age 36±6 years) from Santiago, Chile. We determined body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting serum lipids, blood glucose and C-reactive protein. CIMT was assessed by ultrasound using an automatic border recognition software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure and serum lipids were significantly higher among subjects located in the higher CIMT quartile. Also, subjects in the higher quartile of CIMT had a higher prevalence of three or more RF compared with the lower quartile (p = 0.01). Finally, individuals with three or more RF showed three times more risk of being in the higher CIMT quartile, than subjects with no RF (odds ratio = 3.1, p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a negative influence of cardiovascular RF on CIMT among young subjects.
authors.affiliation: División de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. macevedo@med.puc.cl
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Acevedo
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krämer
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tagle
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arnaiz
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corbalán
authors.forename: Ximena
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Berríos
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Navarrete
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors