Open AccessEcholucency of the Carotid Artery Intima‐Media Complex and Intima‐Media Thickness Have Different Cardiovascular Risk Factor Relationships: The Women's Interagency HIV Study
Author(s) -
Jung Molly,
Parrinello Christina M.,
Xue Xiaonan,
Mack Wendy J.,
Anastos Kathryn,
Lazar Jason M.,
Selzer Robert H.,
Shircore Anne M.,
Plankey Michael,
Tien Phyllis,
Cohen Mardge,
Gange Stephen J.,
Hodis Howard N.,
Kaplan Robert C.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of the american heart association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.494
H-Index - 85
ISSN - 2047-9980
DOI - 10.1161/jaha.114.001405
Subject(s) - medicine , intima media thickness , echogenicity , risk factor , common carotid artery , lipid profile , blood pressure , cholesterol , cardiology , diabetes mellitus , blood lipids , triglyceride , endocrinology , carotid arteries , ultrasound , radiology
Background Adults infected with HIV have increased atherosclerosis potentially associated with both HIV and non‐ HIV associated factors. We characterized risk factors for atherosclerosis as measured by noninvasive vascular imaging. Methods and Results We used B‐mode ultrasound to examine levels and correlates of echogenicity and vessel wall thickness of the carotid artery intima‐media complex in 1282 HIV ‐infected and 510 HIV ‐uninfected women of the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Levels of gray scale median ( GSM , a measure of echogenicity) did not vary between HIV infection groups. In both groups, smokers had increased GSM , whereas age, diabetes, elevated blood pressure, and high BMI were associated with lower (rather than higher) GSM . Each of these non‐lipid CVD risk factors, especially age and blood pressure, was also associated with higher levels of carotid artery intima‐media thickness ( cIMT ). Higher serum triglyceride levels were associated with lower GSM in both HIV ‐infected and HIV ‐uninfected groups. Additional lipid risk factors for low GSM including high LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol levels were identified in HIV uninfected but not in HIV infected women. In contrast to findings for GSM , among the lipid parameters only LDL cholesterol level had an association with cIMT , which was observed only in the HIV uninfected group. Conclusions Lipid and non‐lipid risk factor associations with echolucency of the carotid artery and the thickness of the common carotid artery intima‐media layer suggest that these measures capture different aspects of atherosclerosis.