[Vascular age assessment in smokers]

Area of Science:

• Vascular Biology
• Cardiovascular Health
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.
• Arterial wall damage is a known consequence of smoking.
• Assessing vascular age differences between smokers and non-smokers is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate vascular age differences in smokers versus non-smokers.
• To measure these differences using common carotid artery (CCA) parameters.

Main Methods:

• Healthy volunteers were recruited based on cerebrovascular disease risk factors.
• Ultrasound measurements of CCA included intima-media thickness (IMT), carotid interadventitial diameter (CID), and carotid interadventitial diameter change (CIDc).
• Carotid interadventitial strain (CIS) was calculated, and statistical analysis (Mann-Whitney) was performed.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase in IMT was observed in past smokers in the left CCA.
• Current smokers showed statistically higher CIDc and CIS in the right CCA.
• Older subjects exhibited increased IMT and decreased CIDc/CIS in the right CCA.

Conclusions:

• Cigarette smoking primarily increases CIDc, while CIS remains preserved.
• Smoking demonstrably influences vascular age.
• Further research with larger smoker cohorts is recommended.