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Association between ideal cardiovascular health and carotid intima-media thickness: a twin study

Ambar Kulshreshtha1, Abhinav Goyal, Emir Veledar

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, Emory University School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA.

Journal of the American Heart Association
|January 4, 2014
PubMed

Insights

The American Heart Association's Cardiovascular Health Index (CVHI) is linked to lower carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), a marker of preclinical atherosclerosis. Higher CVHI scores indicate better cardiovascular health and are associated with reduced CIMT, independent of genetics.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Biomarkers
  • Preventive Cardiology

Background:

  • The American Heart Association (AHA) developed the Cardiovascular Health Index (CVHI) using 7 modifiable risk factors.
  • The association between CVHI and preclinical atherosclerosis markers like carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was previously unexamined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between the CVHI and CIMT in a twin cohort.
  • To determine if CVHI is an independent predictor of subclinical cardiovascular disease.

Main Methods:

  • Examined 490 male twins (monozygotic and dizygotic) without known cardiovascular disease.
  • Measured CIMT via B-mode ultrasonography and calculated CVHI scores based on 7 risk factors.
  • Utilized mixed-model regression to analyze the association between CVHI and CIMT, adjusting for confounders.

Main Results:

  • A mean CIMT of 0.75 mm and a mean CVHI score of 7.7 were observed.
  • Found an inverse correlation between CVHI and CIMT (Spearman r=-0.22, P<0.01).
  • Each 5-unit increase in CVHI score was associated with a 0.045 mm decrease in CIMT (P<0.001), even within monozygotic twin pairs.

Conclusions:

  • The CVHI is independently associated with CIMT.
  • This association is not influenced by shared genetic or familial factors.
  • CVHI serves as a valuable metric for assessing preclinical cardiovascular disease risk.
Abstract

Keywords:
epidemiologypreventionrisk factors

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