Cardiovascular risk factor profiles for peripheral artery disease and carotid atherosclerosis among Chinese older people: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
Epidemiological data concerning atherosclerotic disease among older people in rural China are sparse. We seek to determine prevalence and cardiovascular risk factor profiles for peripheral artery disease (PAD) and carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) among Chinese older people living in a rural community.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study included 1499 participants (age ≥60 years, 59.0% women) of the Confucius Hometown Aging Project in Shandong, China. From June 2010-July 2011, data were collected through interviews, clinical examinations, and laboratory tests. PAD was defined as an ankle-brachial index ≤0.9. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and carotid artery stenosis were assessed by ultrasonography. We defined moderate stenosis as carotid stenosis ≥50%, and severe stenosis as carotid stenosis ≥70%. cIMT≥1.81 mm was considered as an increased cIMT (a measure of CAS). Data were analyzed with multiple logistic models.


RESULTS
The prevalence was 5.7% for PAD, 8.9% for moderate stenosis, 1.8% for severe stenosis, and 11.2% for increased cIMT. After controlling for multiple potential confounders, diabetes, an increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio, and hypertension were significantly or marginally associated with PAD. Ever smoking, hypertension, and an increased LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of increased cIMT. An increasing number of those cardiovascular risk factors were significantly associated with an increasing odds ratio of PAD and increased cIMT, respectively (p for linear trend <0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Among Chinese older people living in a rural community, PAD, carotid artery stenosis, and an increased cIMT are relatively uncommon. Cardiovascular risk factor profiles for PAD and CAS are slightly different, with hypertension and an increased LDL-C/HDL-C ratio being associated with an increased likelihood of both PAD and increased cIMT.
School of Public Health, Jining Medical University, Shandong, P. R. China ; Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet-Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Yajun
Y
Liang
Department of Neurology, Jining First People's Hospital, Shandong, P. R. China.
Zhongrui
Z
Yan
Xing Long Zhuang Coal Mine Hospital, Yankuang Group, Shandong, P. R. China.
Binglun
B
Sun
Xing Long Zhuang Coal Mine Hospital, Yankuang Group, Shandong, P. R. China.
Chuanzhu
C
Cai
Xing Long Zhuang Coal Mine Hospital, Yankuang Group, Shandong, P. R. China.
Hui
H
Jiang
School of Public Health, Jining Medical University, Shandong, P. R. China.
Aiqin
A
Song
Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet-Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Chengxuan
C
Qiu
D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors