title: Carotid adventitial vasa vasorum and intima-media thickness in a primary prevention population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vasa vasorum (VV) vessels are critical in the genesis of atherosclerosis. Therefore, we assessed measures of carotid VV, intima-media thickness (CIMT), and patient risk factors in a primary prevention population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used multivariable linear models to evaluate the relationship between baseline covariates and a measure of carotid VV (VV ratio) and CIMT among 324 diabetics and 141 nondiabetics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median CIMT (in mm) and VV ratio among nondiabetics were 0.82 ± 0.22 and 0.80 ± 0.19, respectively, and 1.06 ± 0.19 and 1.21 ± 0.26 among diabetics (P < 0.0001). Diabetes was associated with 36% (95% CI: 24.3-48.0, P < 0.001) higher VV ratio whereas a unit change in BMI was associated with ≈1% (95% CI: 0.5-1.4, P < 0.001) change in VV ratio. A 10-year increase in age was associated with 4% (95% CI: 1-7, P = 0.005) higher CIMT. Each 10 mmHg increase in mean systolic blood pressure was associated with 2% (95% CI: 1-4, P = 0.003) higher CIMT whereas diabetes conferred 31% (95% CI: 19.1-42.1, P < 0.001) higher CIMT. Female sex was associated with a 9% (95% CI: -12.9 to -4.1, P < 0.001) lower CIMT. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, blood pressure, and CIMT were not significantly associated with VV ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this cohort of patients with low CIMT, VV ratio, and CIMT were distinctly unrelated, but each independently associated with diabetes. VV ratio and CIMT relationships warrant further investigation in large-scale studies and across a spectrum of atherosclerostic states.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, VUMC, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, VUMC, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Uchechukwu K A
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Sampson
authors.forename: Frank E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Harrell
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fazio
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nwosu
authors.forename: Nate
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mercaldo
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Mensah
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: Blai
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coll
authors.forename: Steve B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Feinstein
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014651:Vasa Vasorum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: atherosclerosis; cardiovascular risk; contrast-enhanced ultrasound; in vivo imaging; neovascularization; noninvasive imaging; vasa vasorum