Impact of cardiovascular risk factors on carotid intima–media thickness: sex differences

Figures & data

Table 1 Participants’ characteristics

	Participants
	All (N=256)	Female (F) (n=134)	Male (M) (n=122)	F vs M
				P-value
Age (years)	54.7±10.6	55.7±9.9	53.5±11.3	0.099
BMI (kg/m^2)	28.6±4.5	28.3±4.9	29.0±3.9	0.212
Waist circumference (cm)	95±14	89±12	103±11	<0.001
Hip circumference (cm)	108±9	107±10	108±8	0.417
WHR	0.89±0.09	0.83±0.08	0.95±0.07	<0.001
Number (percentage) of patients with hypertension	160 (65.8)	78 (62.9)	82 (68.9)	0.395
SBP (mmHg)	134±18	133±19	135±16	0.474
DBP (mmHg)	76±11	77±11	75±10	0.147
MAP (mmHg)	95±12	96±12	95±11	0.602
PP (mmHg)	58±14	56±16	60±12	0.048
HR (/min)	70±10	71±10	69±9	0.074
Number (percentage) of patients with type 2 diabetes	90 (46.4)	40 (40.4)	50 (52.6)	0.118
Glucose levela (mg/dL)	101±23	100±21	103±26	0.393
Number (percentage) of patients with dyslipidemia	195 (81.6)	103 (88.0)	92 (75.4)	0.019
Number (percentage) of patients with treated dyslipidemia	31 (15.9)	16 (15.5)	15 (16.3)	0.961
TC levela (mg/dL)	220±41	225±43	213±37	0.016
LDL cholesterol levela (mg/dL)	130±39	130±43	129±34	0.858
HDL cholesterol levela (mg/dL)	54±16	60±18	49±12	<0.001
TG levela (mg/dL)	154±97	150±80	159±112	0.505
Number (percentage) of smokers	94 (36.7)	45 (33.6)	49 (40.2)	0.174
CRP (mg/L)	2.61±3.74	2.61±3.37	2.62±4.27	0.986
Number (percentage) of patients with metabolic syndrome	119 (46.5)	61 (45.5)	58 (47.5)	0.843
LV ejection fraction %	70.4	70.6	70.0	0.250

Notes:

a Morning fasting serum concentration. Data presented as mean ± SD or n (%) parameter values. Data in bold indicates statistical significance.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; WHR, waist-to-hip ratio; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; MAP, mean arterial pressure; PP, pulse pressure; HR, heart rate; TC, total cholesterol; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; TG, triglycerides; CRP, C-reactive protein; LV, left ventricle.

Table 2 Participants’ clinical characteristics in three age groups

	Subjects <45 years			Subjects 45–60 years			Subjects >60 years
	Females (n=23)	Males (n=50)	F vs M	Females (n=59)	Males (n=55)	F vs M	Females (n=52)	Males (n=40)	F vs M
			P-value			P-value			P-value
Age (years)	38.9±4.8	36.9±5.5	0.194	54.4±3.4	53.3±4.1	0.144	64.7±4.3	65.0±5.0	0.752
BMI (kg/m^2)	26.9±4.5	29.1±3.8	0.059	28.6±5.2	29.2±4.1	0.506	28.6±4.6	28.6±3.8	0.999
Waist circumference (cm)	87±13	100±12	0.002	89±12	105±10	<0.001	91±12	103±12	<0.001
Hip circumference (cm)	105±8	111±9	0.049	105±11	108±6	0.321	110±9	106±9	0.185
WHR	0.83±0.08	0.91±0.07	0.003	0.84±0.07	0.97±0.06	<0.001	0.83±0.08	0.97±0.05	<0.001
Number (percentage) of patients with hypertension	7 (30.4)	14 (51.8)	0.214	33 (55.9)	35 (63.6)	0.448	38 (73.1)	33 (82.5)	0.289
SBP (mmHg)	122±14	132±14	0.020	133±17	136±15	0.433	138±22	136±17	0.575
DBP (mmHg)	81±12	75±10	0.045	78±10	77±10	0.558	75±11	74±11	0.649
MAP (mmHg)	95±12	94±11	0.734	96±11	96±11	0.974	96±13	94±11	0.573
PP (mmHg)	41±8	57±8	<0.001	56±13	59±11	0.124	64±16	62±15	0.694
HR (/min)	75±10	72±9	0.393	73±10	69±8	0.010	68±10	68±10	0.959
Number (percentage) of patients with type 2 diabetes	2 (8.7)	5 (18.5)	0.416	20 (33.9)	29 (52.7)	0.259	18 (34.6)	16 (40.0)	0.665
Glucose levela (mg/dL)	92±9	94±12	0.591	103±32	107±18	0.625	102±12	107±37	0.528
Number (percentage) of patients with dyslipidemia	11 (47.8)	22 (81.5)	0.842	44 (74.6)	42 (76.4)	0.536	48 (92.3)	28 (70.0)	0.011
Number (percentage) of patients with treated dyslipidemia	0 (0.0)	6 (22.2)	0.025	3 (5.1)	4 (7.3)	0.710	13 (25.0)	5 (12.5)	0.186
TC levela (mg/dL)	214±36	220±42	0.631	225±41	212±39	0.076	231±48	210±32	0.025
LDL cholesterol levela (mg/dL)	120±34	137±38	0.130	131±38	128±37	0.718	135±51	126±27	0.350
HDL cholesterol levela (mg/dL)	64±24	48±15	0.007	54±15	48±9	0.016	62±16	52±12	0.003
TG levela (mg/dL)	149±112	161±72	0.654	151±77	165±126	0.528	149±60	148±117	0.953
Number (percentage) of smokers	11 (47.8)	15 (55.6)	0.794	23 (39.0)	21 (38.2)	0.917	11 (21.2)	13 (32.5)	0.323
CRP level (mg/L)	3.30±5.74	1.36±1.17	0.362	1.58±1.43	3.57±6.96	0.260	3.11±2.41	2.60±2.26	0.546
Number (percentage) of patients with metabolic syndrome	8 (34.8)	14 (51.8)	0.354	27 (45.8)	24 (43.6)	0.968	31 (59.6)	19 (47.5)	0.344
LV ejection fraction %	70.4±4.9	65.0±7.3	0.010	70.1±6.0	69.6±6.8	0.695	69.6±8.5	70.2±7.4	0.758

Notes:

a Morning fasting serum concentration. Data presented as mean ± SD or n (%) parameter values. Data in bold indicates statistical significance.

Abbreviations: F, females; M, males; BMI, body mass index; WHR, waist-to-hip ratio; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; MAP, mean arterial pressure; PP, pulse pressure; HR, heart rate; TC, total cholesterol; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; TG, triglycerides; CRP, C-reactive protein; LV, left ventricle.

Table 3 CIMT in male and female patients

	All participants (N=256)		P-value
	Females (n=134)	Males (n=122)	F vs M
CIMT	0.54 (0.51–0.57)	0.60 (0.57–0.68)	P=0.011
Group 1 (<45 years)	0.48 (0.45–0.53)	0.48 (0.45–0.54)	P=0.861
Group 2 (45–60 years)	0.51 (0.51–0.58)	0.63 (0.56–0.70)	P=0.005
Group 3 (>60 years)	0.63 (0.56–0.71)	0.72 (0.68–0.77)	P=0.020
∆ 2−1 = group 2 – group 1	+0.03	+0.15
Group 2 vs group 1	P=0.013	P<0.001
∆ 3−2 = group 3 – group 2	+0.12	+0.09
Group 3 vs group 2	P=0.001	P=0.005
∆3−1 = group 3 – group 1	+0.15	+0.24
Group 3 vs group 1	P<0.001	P<0.001

Notes: ∆₂₋₁, difference between age groups 2 and 1; ∆₃₋₂, difference between age groups 3 and 2; ∆₃₋₁, difference between age groups 3 and 1. Data presented as median (95% confidence interval). Data in bold indicates statistical significance.

Abbreviations: F, females; M, males; CIMT, carotid intima–media thickness; BMI, body mass index.

Figure 1 CIMT (median) changes with age in female and male patients.

Abbreviation: CIMT, carotid intima–media thickness.

Figure 2 Correlation diagram of CIMT and age in male and female patients.

Abbreviations: CIMT, carotid intima–media thickness; F, females; M, males.

Table 4 Linear regression analysis results for variables characterizing the participants (independent variables) and CIMT

Variable	The slope coefficient b
	All 256 participants	134 female participants	122 male participants
Age	+0.008*	+0.008*	+0.009*
Sex (female)	−0.050**	NA	NA
Arterial hypertension	+0.059***	+0.048	+0.067**
Mean arterial pressure	−0.001	−0.0001	+0.0001
Pulse pressure	+0.004*	+0.005*	+0.001
Diabetes mellitus	+0.095*	+0.111***	+0.073**
Dyslipidemia	−0.037	−0.081	+0.0001
Cigarette smoking	+0.014	+0.028	+0.050
Waist circumference > normal	+0.076***	+0.092***	+0.049
Metabolic syndrome	+0.044**	+0.071**	+0.010
Heart rate	−0.002	−0.002	−0.001
BMI	+0.006***	+0.007**	+0.004

Notes:

* P<0.001,

** P<0.05,

*** P<0.01. Data in bold indicates statistical significance.

Abbreviations: CIMT, carotid intima–media thickness; BMI, body mass index; NA, not applicable.

Table 5 Multiple regression analysis results for variables characterizing the 256 participants (independent variables) and CIMT

	β	SEβ	b	SEb	P-value	VIF (β)
Intercept b0	NA	NA	−0.03	0.09	0.750	NA
Age	+0.497	0.068	+0.007	0.001	<0.001	1.38
BMI	+0.195	0.071	+0.007	0.003	0.006	1.50
Metabolic syndrome	−0.128	0.073	−0.031	0.024	0.062	1.40
Female	−0.117	0.062	−0.038	0.020	0.058	1.13
PP	+0.109	0.069	+0.001	0.001	0.117	1.35
Diabetes mellitus	+0.098	0.065	+0.032	0.021	0.136	1.25
HT	+0.076	0.066	+0.025	0.022	0.251	1.20
HR	−0.032	0.063	−0.001	0.001	0.609	1.14

Notes: CIMT =−0.03+0.007− age +0.007− BMI. R²=0.341. Data in bold indicates statistical significance.

Abbreviations: CIMT, carotid intima–media thickness; SE, standard error; BMI, body mass index; PP, pulse pressure; HT, hypertension; HR, heart rate; NA, not applicable; VIF, variance inflation factor.

Table 6 Multiple regression analysis results for variables characterizing the 134 female participants (independent variables) and CIMT

	β	SEβ	b	SEb	P-value	VIF (β)
Intercept b0	NA	NA	+0.16	0.08	0.051	NA
PP	+0.317	0.125	+0.003	0.001	0.014	1.55
Age	+0.242	0.126	+0.004	0.002	0.050	1.52
Waist circumference > normal	+0.207	0.103	+0.068	0.034	0.048	1.07
Diabetes mellitus	+0.079	0.110	+0.031	0.042	0.472	1.28
Metabolic syndrome	+0.006	0.150	+0.001	0.068	0.845	1.42
BMI	−0.014	0.156	−0.001	0.006	0.930	1.51

Notes: CIMT =0.16+0.003− PP +0.004− age +0.068− waist circumference > normal. R²=0.350. Data in bold indicates statistical significance.

Abbreviations: CIMT, carotid intima–media thickness; SE, standard error; PP, pulse pressure; BMI, body mass index; NA, not applicable; VIF, variance inflation factor.

Table 7 Multiple regression analysis results for variables characterizing the 122 males (independent variables) and CIMT

	β	SEβ	b	SEb	P-value	VIF (β)
Intercept b0	NA	NA	+0.13	0.06	0.045	NA
Age	+0.669	0.077	+0.010	0.001	<0.001	1.52
HT	+0.048	0.082	+0.016	0.028	0.561	1.51
Diabetes mellitus	+0.028	0.083	+0.009	0.027	0.736	1.28

Notes: CIMT =+0.13+0.010− age. R²=0.448. Data in bold indicates statistical significance.

Abbreviations: CIMT, carotid intima–media thickness; SE, standard error; HT, hypertension; NA, not applicable; VIF, variance inflation factor.