title: Carotid atherosclerosis and relation to growth of infrarenal aortic diameter and follow-up diameter: the Tromsø Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This research aims to study how carotid atherosclerosis is related to growth of infrarenal aortic diameter and aneurysmal formation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based follow-up study.
  
  
  METHODS
  At baseline, ultrasound examination of the carotid artery and the abdominal aorta was performed in 4241 persons from a general population with no evidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The burden of atherosclerosis was assessed as carotid total plaque area (TPA). After a mean follow-up of 6.3 years, a new ultrasound examination was performed and measurements of the aortic diameter and carotid TPA were repeated. The effects on aortic diameter progression, follow-up diameter and risk for AAA were assessed in multiple linear and logistic regression models according to carotid TPA, adjusted for known risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When analysing AAA as a dichotomous variable, a borderline association between atherosclerosis and AAA could be demonstrated. When modelling aortic diameter as a continuous variable, a 1-SD increase in 5 years' carotid plaque area (ΔTPA) was associated with a 0.12-mm growth in infrarenal aortic diameter (standard error (SE) 0.04) and a 0.20-mm wider aorta at follow-up (SE 0.06). No independent relation was seen for baseline atherosclerosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carotid plaque progression was positively related to growth in infrarenal aortic diameter and aortic diameter at follow-up. Whether this co-variation between plaque growth and aortic diameter growth is causally related or independent events is still an open question.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology, University Hospital North Norway, Tromsø, Norway. sh_johnsen@live.no
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Johnsen
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Forsdahl
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Solberg
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography