title: Carotid atherosclerosis is associated with hypertension in a hospital-based retrospective cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aim to investigate the association between carotid artery plaque and blood pressure variation, as well as other cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of inpatients with high blood pressure treated in the Department of Hypertension from April 2009 to June 2010. Results from carotid ultrasonography, demographic characteristics, and other clinical data were obtained from 408 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) The rate of positive plaque in carotid artery was 55.1%, and there was no difference between men and women. However, this rate was positively correlated with the age of the patients. (2) The rate of positive plaque in carotid artery was associated with the duration of the disease, fasting blood-glucose levels, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C). (3) The prevalence of carotid artery plaque increased in accordance with the coefficient of systolic pressure variation (X(2) = 15.83, P = 0.001), whereas no correlation existed between prevalence of carotid artery plaque and coefficient of diastolic pressure variation and the plaque prevalence (X(2) = 0.24, P = 0.97). Mean systolic blood pressure (MSBP) was positively correlated with prevalence of carotid artery plaque (X(2) = 10.47, P = 0.005). (4) Multivariate regression analysis indicated that carotid plaque was associated with the age, duration of hypertension, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-C, 24 h MSBP, and coefficient of systolic pressure variation, whereas no associations were found with the coefficient of diastolic pressure variation, 24 h average diastolic blood pressure (AvDP), and 24 h mean arterial pressure (MAP) (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carotid atherosclerosis was independently associated with variation of blood pressure, especially with coefficient of systolic blood pressure variation.
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Clinic, Capital Medical University Affiliated Beijing Anzhen Hospital No. 2 Anzhen Road, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Aoya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Clinic, Capital Medical University Affiliated Beijing Anzhen Hospital No. 2 Anzhen Road, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Zhenqiu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Clinic, Capital Medical University Affiliated Beijing Anzhen Hospital No. 2 Anzhen Road, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Diseases Prevention and Control Office, Capital Medical University Affiliated Beijing Anzhen Hospital No. 2 Anzhen Road, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Wenhua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: Carotid artery plaque; ultrasonography; variation of blood pressure