title: Prevalence and severity of atherosclerosis in different arterial territories and its relation with obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is uneven association between obesity, traditional risk factors, and cardiovascular events. We aimed to analyze the relation between cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity, with the severity of atherosclerosis in different arterial territories.
  
  
  METHODS
  Arteries from five territories (circle of Willis, carotids, coronaries, aorta, and renal) were taken from 185 persons, newborn to 90 years undergoing autopsy in the Forensic Medical Service in Mexico City, to determine atherosclerotic lesions by histopathological study. Lesions were classified according to the American Heart Association grading system as early (types I-III) and advanced (types IV-VI). The degree of atherosclerosis was correlated with arterial territories and risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Frequencies of advanced lesions according to arterial territories were as follows: circle of Willis, 28%; right carotid, 36%; left carotid, 25%; right coronary, 71%; left coronary, 85%; right renal, 26%; left renal, 29%; and aorta, 52%; P=.0001, for all analyses. There was a higher risk for advanced lesions with increasing body mass index (BMI) (P=.004). However, after adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, BMI was not independently associated with advanced lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coronary arteries are significantly more affected than other arterial territories regardless of risk factors, showing the effect of local and systemic factors in the severity of atherosclerosis. We did not find an independent association between advanced atherosclerotic lesions and obesity.
authors: Obesity and Eating Disorders Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "Salvador Zubirán," SS. Vasco de Quiroga No. 15. Colonia Sección XVI. Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico, PC 14000. Electronic address: chelorf76@yahoo.com.
authors: Marcela
authors: M
authors: Rodríguez-Flores
authors: Joel
authors: J
authors: Rodríguez-Saldaña
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Cantú-Brito
authors: Jesús
authors: J
authors: Aguirre-García
authors: González-Garay
authors: GG
authors: Alejandro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002941:Circle of Willis / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Coronary disease; Obesity; Pathology