title: Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Nutritional Intake are not Associated with Ultrasound-defined Increased Carotid Intima Media Thickness in Individuals Without a History of Cardiovascular Events.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carotid ultrasound appears to be useful in the assessment of cardiovascular risk. In this study, we have assessed the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in a group of individuals without a history of cardiovascular events.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 431subjects (189 [43.9%] males and 242 [56.1%] females) was obtained from an urban population using a stratified-cluster method in Mashhad stroke and heart atherosclerosis disorder study. None of the subjects had a history of the cardiovascular event. Carotid artery duplex ultrasound was used to determine the CIMT in all subjects, and to identify those with an abnormal value (CIMT [+]; i.e., CIMT ≥ 0.8 mm). Dietary intake of participants was assessed using a questionnaire for 24-h dietary recall. The relationship between anthropometric, biochemical and dietary data and CIMT were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of subjects was 48.7 ± 8.0 years. Of the 431 patients, 118 (27.4%) were found to be CIMT (+). Of the cardiovascular parameters assessed, only age (odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (CI)], 1.11 [0.56-4.34]; P < 0.01) and male gender (OR [95% CI], 1.14 [0.63-2.23]; P < 0.05) were significant independent predictors of ultrasound defined CIMT. Crude and total energy adjusted intake were not associated with the presence of CIMT (+).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It appears that within a relatively young Iranian population of individuals without a history of cardiovascular event, the presence of CIMT (+) defined by duplex ultrasound cut-off value of ≥0.8 mm, did not associate with several modifiable cardiovascular risk factors or measures of dietary intake.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Azarpazhooh
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyed Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kazemi-Bajestani
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Habib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Esmaeili
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Payam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vedadian
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyed Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Parizadeh
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Heidari-Bakavoli
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moohebati
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Safarian
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry and Behavioral Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Naghmeh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mokhber
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nematy
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazidi
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Education, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, RM 342, Mayfield House, University of Brighton, BN1 9PH, UK.
authors.forename: Gorden A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Ferns
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran ; Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghayour-Mehrabani
keywords: Carotid artery atherosclerosis; duplex ultrasound; intima-media thickness; nutritional intake; risk factors