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Atherosclerosis of the aorta: risk factor, risk marker, or innocent bystander? A prospective population-based

Irene Meissner1, Bijoy K Khandheria, Sheldon G Sheps

  • 1Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. imeissner@mayo.edu

Journal of the American College of Cardiology
|September 1, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Complex aortic atherosclerosis does not appear to increase the risk of future vascular events in the general population. This study found no independent association between aortic plaque characteristics and cardiac or cerebrovascular events.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Epidemiology
  • Vascular Biology

Background:

  • Aortic atherosclerosis is linked to vascular events in high-risk individuals.
  • The association in the general population remains less clear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if complex aortic atherosclerosis predicts vascular events in a non-selected population.
  • To differentiate risk associated with simple versus complex aortic plaques.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective population-based study (SPARC) of 585 adults (age >= 45).
  • Assessed aortic plaque characteristics (simple vs. complex).
  • Followed participants for cardiac and cerebrovascular events over a median of five years.

Main Results:

  • Complex aortic plaques showed a marginal association with cardiac events when adjusting for age and gender, but this was not significant after accounting for other clinical risk factors.
  • Simple aortic plaques were not independently associated with cardiac or cerebrovascular events.
  • Complex plaques were only univariately associated with cerebrovascular events.

Conclusions:

  • Aortic atherosclerotic plaques, whether simple or complex, are not independently associated with future cardiac or cerebrovascular events in the general population.
  • Aortic atherosclerosis may not serve as an independent risk factor for vascular events in the broader community.
Abstract

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