title: Heart disease, overweight, and cigarette smoking are associated with increased prevalence of extra-cranial venous abnormalities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Most of the extra-cranial venous abnormalities have been previously described as truncular venous malformations. In this hypothesis-driven study, we evaluated possible association of risk/protective factors with the presence of truncular and functional venous abnormalities in internal jugular veins (IJVs) in a large cohort of volunteers without known central nervous system (CNS) pathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 240 controls who underwent physical and Doppler sonography (DS) examinations for the presence of intra- and extra-luminal structural and functional abnormalities of the IJVs, and were assessed with a physical examination and structured environmental questionnaire for demographic characteristics, presence of autoimmune and other concomitant diseases, vascular risk factors, environmental factors, and habits. Logistic regression analysis was used to test which risk/protective factors were associated with the presence and number of extra-cranial venous abnormalities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects with heart disease (P<0·001), overweight (P = 0·005), and smoking (P = 0·016) had a significantly increased number of intra-luminal structural venous abnormalities. Presence of heart disease increased the risk of a malformed valve 12·9 times (95% CI: 5·4-31·3, P<0·001), while smoking increased it 2·21 times (95% CI: 1-4·9, P = 0·033). Being overweight (P = 0·003), a history of mononucleosis (P = 0·012) and smoking (P = 0·042) increased risk for presence of a flap. No association was found between the investigated risk factors and extra-luminal or functional venous abnormalities. However, use of dietary and herbal supplements had a protective role for the presence of functional venous abnormalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a close association between intra-luminal, structural, extra-cranial, venous system pathology and the presence of heart disease, overweight, and smoking.
authors.affiliation: Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.
authors.forename: Kresimir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dolic
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weinstock-Guttman
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marr
authors.forename: Vesela
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valnarov
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carl
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hagemeier
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kilanowski
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hojnacki
authors.forename: Murali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramanathan
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zivadinov
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*