Association between inflammatory cytokines and carotid plaque in young and middle-aged adults

Inflammatory cytokines are crucial in the development of atherosclerosis. However, the association between inflammatory cytokines and carotid artery plaques in young and middle-aged individuals is not well-defined. This retrospective study analyzed hospitalized adults aged ≤65 years who underwent carotid ultrasounds (October 2022-November 2024). Participants were grouped by carotid plaque presence, and inflammatory cytokine levels and plaque incidence were compared between groups. This study compared 528 subjects without carotid plaques and 635 subjects with carotid plaques. Baseline characteristics analysis showed that the prevalence of smoking and hypertension was significantly higher in those with carotid plaques. Among the cytokines assessed, only Log-transformed interleukin-10 (Log IL-10) levels showed a significant difference between the two groups. Univariate analysis revealed that age, diabetes mellitus, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate, Log IL-10, and hypertension were significantly associated with the presence of carotid plaques. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that fasting blood glucose, Log IL-10, and hypertension remained independently associated with carotid plaques, with Log-transformed IL-10 exhibiting a protective effect. In young and middle-aged women, different levels of Log IL-10 were negatively correlated with the presence of carotid plaques. However, no significant association was observed in men after adjusting for confounding factors. In conclusion, circulating IL-10 levels play a protective role in the formation of carotid artery plaques in young and middle-aged individuals, and this effect demonstrates sexual dimorphism.