Subclinical Atherosclerosis Progression in Low-Risk, Middle-Aged Adults: Carotid Leads Femoral in IMT Increase but Not in Plaque Formation

Overview

Journal J Cardiovasc Dev Dis

Specialty Cardiology & Vascular Diseases

Date 2024 Sep 27

PMID 39330329

Authors

Eva Szaboova

Alexandra Lisovszki

Alojz Rajnic

Peter Kolarcik

Peter Szabo

Tomas Molnar

Lucia Dekanova

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Methods: Clinical data, risk factors, carotid/femoral intima-media thickness (IMT), and plaque presence were analyzed.

Results: Cardiovascular risk factors and scores increased significantly at follow-up. Both carotid and femoral mean IMT increased ( < 0.001). While plaque prevalence rose and was similar in both arteries (carotid: 4.8% to 17.9%, femoral: 3.6% to 17.7%, < 0.001 for both), the progression of plaque burden was greater in femorals. Notably, the carotid mean IMT demonstrated a faster yearly progression rate compared to the mean femoral IMT. The prevalence of pathological nomogram-based mean IMT right or left was higher in the carotids (52.9% to 78.8%, < 0.001) compared to femorals (23.2% to 44.7%, < 0.001), with a significant increase at the end of follow-up in both territories.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates significant subclinical atherosclerosis progression in low-risk, middle-aged adults over 5 years. Carotid arteries showed a faster progression rate of mean IMT and a higher prevalence of pathological nomogram-based mean IMT compared to the femoral arteries. However, plaque burden was similar in both territories, with greater progression in femorals. Identifying carotid and femoral atherosclerosis burden may be a valuable tool for risk stratification in this population.

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