Prevalence and predictors of carotid wall triple line pattern in a general population sample

Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaques are markers of atherosclerosis and predict cardiovascular events. A specific sonographic triple line pattern (TLP) of the carotid wall has been identified in different conditions, but its origin and clinical significance are unclear. We examined the prevalence and predictors of TLP in a general population.

The study was conducted in random sample of the general population of Novosibirsk, Russia, within the international Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe project. In a subsample of 418 men (aged 45 to 69), carotid IMT, the presence of atherosclerotic plaques, and the presence of TLP were assessed by ultrasound. The prevalence of TLP was 21%. It was associated with IMT (odds ratio = 9.53 per 1 SD, P<0.001) and the presence of plaques (odds ratio = 2.42, P = 0.002). Other predictors of TLP in multivariate models included age, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and smoking. In addition, infrequent consumption of high amounts of alcohol approximately doubled the risk of triple pattern.

Our findings showed high prevalence of TLP of carotid wall in a general male population sample from a typical Russian city. This sonographic pattern was strongly associated with cardiovascular risk factors and diseases, bioimaging indicators of atherosclerosis, and episodic heavy drinking.