The measurement of lipids currently and 9 years ago--which is more associated with carotid intima-media thickness?
BACKGROUND
Massive evidence supports that increase of lipids bring more risk of atherosclerosis. However, it is not clear if lipids measured a long time ago bear more risk than the current measurement.


OBJECTIVE
Lipids measured currently is more associated with carotid atherosclerosis than lipids measured long time ago.


METHODS
A cohort of 1195 participants age 35 to 64 years was examined in both 1993-1994 and 2002 for serum lipids, and in 2002 for carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) with B mode ultrasound. The associations of lipids at baseline and at reexamination with CIMT were analyzed and compared using multiple linear regressions.


RESULTS
All lipid variables, except for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) both at baseline and reexamination, were significantly associated with age-adjusted CIMT in both males and females (all P(trend) <0.01). The age-adjusted mean of CIMT in all of the population was 0.696 mm in those having low low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) at both examinations, 0.719 mm in those having high LDL-C only at baseline, 0.706 mm in those having high LDL-C only at reexamination, and 0.727 mm in those having high LDL-C at both examinations. Further analysis showed that lipids measured at baseline remained significant, whereas lipids at reexamination became not significant in all models, except those for HDL-C and total cholesterol (TC)/HDL-C, which allow the lipids at different times to compete in association with CIMT.


CONCLUSIONS
Both the current measurement of lipids (TC, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, and LDL-C/HDL-C) and the measurement from 9 years ago are significantly associated with CIMT, but the measurement from 9 years ago had an even stronger association.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Yubei
Y
Huang
Xuequn
X
Yu
Danielle
D
Millican
Liuxin
L
Wu
Ping
P
Shi
Min
M
Lu
Yangfeng
Y
Wu
D000328:Adult; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D008055:Lipids