title: Carotid ultrasound examination as an aging and disability marker.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the usefulness of carotid ultrasound examination as a marker of aging and predictor of disability among older people.
  
  
  METHODS
  Carotid ultrasound, measuring carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and recording the presence of plaques, was carried out in 152 adults aged 29-59 years (47 women) and in 107 older adults aged 61-88 years (86 women). In all, clinical routine laboratory parameters and lymphocyte telomere length as T/S ratio were measured. Among older adults, 12-min walk, timed up and go, hand grip and quadriceps strength were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CIMT was significantly higher among older people and T/S ratio was significantly higher in young women. Carotid plaques were found in one adult and 17 older people. A multiple regression analysis accepted age, systolic blood pressure and T/S ratios as independent predictors of CIMT (R(2) = 0.51). Among older people, a logistic regression accepted age and the presence of carotid plaques as significant predictors of a 12-min walk speed below 1 m/s.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An abnormal 12-min walk as an indicator of functional decline among older people is associated with the presence of carotid artery plaques. CIMT is independently associated with age.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Gladys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barrera
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bunout
authors.forename: María Pía
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: de la Maza
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leiva
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirsch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012737:Sex Factors; D059505:Telomere Homeostasis
keywords: aging; carotid intima media thickness; functional decline