title: The association between "hypertriglyceridemic waist" and sub-clinical atherosclerosis in a multiethnic population: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  "Hypertriglyceridemic waist" (HTGW) phenotype, an inexpensive early screening tool for detection of individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease was found to be associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in various patient populations such as those with diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and those infected with human immunodeficiency virus. However, less is known regarding an association between HTGW and subclinical atherosclerosis in the apparently healthy, multiethnic population. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore the association between HTGW and sub-clinical atherosclerosis in an apparently healthy, multiethnic population; and to investigate whether the effect of HTGW on sub-clinical atherosclerosis persists over and above the traditional atherosclerosis risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 809 individuals of Aboriginal, Chinese, European and South Asian origin who were assessed for indices of sub-clinical atherosclerosis (intima-media thickness (IMT), total area and presence of carotid plaques), socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics, anthropometrics, lipids, glucose, blood pressure, and family history of cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that, compared to individuals without HTGW and after adjusting for age, ethnicity, smoking, and physical activity; men and women with HTGW had a significantly higher: IMT (men: B (95%CI = 0.084 (0.037, 1.133), p < 0.001; women: B (95%CI) = 0.041 (0.006, 0.077), p = 0.020); and total area (men: B (95%CI = 0.202 (0.058, 0.366), p = 0.005; women: B (95%CI) = 0.115 (0.006, 0.235), p = 0.037). The association between HTGW waist and presence of plaques was significant for men (OR (95%CI) = 1.904 (1.040, 3.486), p = 0.037 vs. men without HTGW), but not for women (p = 0.284). Once analyses were adjusted for additional, traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis, the effect of HTGW on sub-clinical atherosclerosis was no longer significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, HTGW may serve as an early marker of subclinical atherosclerosis in men and women, irrespective of ethnicity. However, once individuals are assessed for all traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis, the additional assessment for HTGW is not warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 2600-515 W Hastings Street, Vancouver V6B 5K3, BC, Canada. danijela.gasevic@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Danijela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gasevic
authors.forename: Axel C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Carlsson
authors.forename: Iris A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Lesser
authors.forename: Gb John
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lear
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference