Smoking and Carotid Artery Thickness in Middle-Aged Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Fan Amy Z, Paul-Labrador Maura, Merz C Noel Bairey, Iribarren Carlos, Dwyer James H
Primary Institution: Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Berkeley, CA, USA
Hypothesis
Smoking-related carotid artery wall changes involve both intimal and medial thickness.
Conclusion
Cigarette smoking is associated with carotid artery morphological changes and the association is sex-dependent.
Supporting Evidence
- Current smoking was associated with thicker echogenic layers in both men and women.
- Former smokers exhibited thinner echogenic layers than current smokers after adjusting for cigarette pack-years.
- Among women, current smoking was associated with a thinned echolucent layer.
Takeaway
Smoking can make your arteries thicker, which is not good for your heart, and this effect is different for men and women.
Methodology
Ultrasound measurements of carotid artery thickness were taken from middle-aged men and women over a 3-year period.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias due to over-sampling of smokers and Hispanic individuals.
Limitations
The study only included participants with IMT measurement ≥ 0.7 mm, which may limit generalizability.
Participant Demographics
Middle-aged men and women, aged 40-60 years, with a total of 413 participants (231 men and 182 women).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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