This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 23/2/302    most recent 01.ATV.0000051383.75507.60v1 Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Jerrard-Dunne, P. Articles by Sitzer, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jerrard-Dunne, P. Articles by Sitzer, M. Related Collections Clinical genetics Risk Factors Genetics of Stroke Doppler ultrasound, Transcranial Doppler etc. Epidemiology

(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2003;23:302.)
© 2003 American Heart Association, Inc.

Atherosclerosis and Lipoproteins

Early Carotid Atherosclerosis and Family History of Vascular Disease

Specific Effects on Arterial Sites Have Implications for Genetic Studies

Paula Jerrard-Dunne; Hugh S. Markus; Donata A. Steckel; Alexandra Buehler; Stefan von Kegler; Matthias Sitzer

From the Department of Clinical Neurosciences (P.J.-D., H.S.M.), St Georges Hospital Medical School, London, UK and Department of Neurology (D.A.S., A.B., S.v.K., M.S.), Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Correspondence to Dr Paula Jerrard-Dunne, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, St Georges Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, Tooting, London SW17 0RE. E-mail pjerrard{at}sghms.ac.uk

Objective— Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) is an intermediate phenotype for atherosclerosis. In a community population (n=5400), we determined whether a parental history of myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke is associated with increased IMT and whether associations differ at specific sites in the carotid arterial tree.

Methods and Results— Using regression modeling, the proportion of IMT that remains unexplained after controlling for vascular risk factors was determined. A parental history of stroke was associated with both increased common carotid artery (CCA) and increased internal carotid artery (ICA)-IMT, but in young individuals (60 years of age), the association was stronger with ICA-IMT, with an odds ratio (95% CI) for ICA-IMT in the highest quartile of 2.31 (1.67 to 3.21), P<0.001, compared with 1.53 (1.07 to 2.20), P=0.019, for CCA-IMT. In contrast, a parental history of MI was associated with increased CCA-IMT both overall and in young individuals but not with ICA-IMT, with an odds ratio (95% CI) for increased CCA-IMT of 2.51 (1.94 to 3.25), P<0.001, compared with 1.03 (0.78 to 1.35), P=0.861, for ICA-IMT.

Conclusions— IMT has a significant familial component that is independent of conventional risk factors. Associations for stroke and MI differ at specific sites in the carotid arterial tree. Although commonly used aggregate CCA/ICA-IMT measures may be appropriate for candidate gene studies investigating stroke risk, these results suggest that CCA-IMT alone may be a better marker for MI risk.

Key Words: atherosclerosis • genes • ultrasound • carotid arteries • family history

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. W. Lorenz, P. Karbstein, H. S. Markus, and M. Sitzer High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Is Not Associated With Carotid Intima-Media Progression: The Carotid Atherosclerosis Progression Study Stroke, June 1, 2007; 38(6): 1774 - 1779. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Juonala, J. S. A. Viikari, L. Rasanen, H. Helenius, M. Pietikainen, and O. T. Raitakari Young Adults With Family History of Coronary Heart Disease Have Increased Arterial Vulnerability to Metabolic Risk Factors: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., June 1, 2006; 26(6): 1376 - 1382. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. W. Lorenz, S. von Kegler, H. Steinmetz, H. S. Markus, and M. Sitzer Carotid Intima-Media Thickening Indicates a Higher Vascular Risk Across a Wide Age Range: Prospective Data From the Carotid Atherosclerosis Progression Study (CAPS) Stroke, January 1, 2006; 37(1): 87 - 92. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Makita, M. Nakamura, and K. Hiramori The Association of C-Reactive Protein Levels With Carotid Intima-Media Complex Thickness and Plaque Formation in the General Population Stroke, October 1, 2005; 36(10): 2138 - 2142. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. J. O'Donnell Family History, Subclinical Atherosclerosis, and Coronary Heart Disease Risk: Barriers and Opportunities for the Use of Family History Information in Risk Prediction and Prevention Circulation, October 12, 2004; 110(15): 2074 - 2076. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Nasir, E. D. Michos, J. A. Rumberger, J. B. Braunstein, W. S. Post, M. J. Budoff, and R. S. Blumenthal Coronary Artery Calcification and Family History of Premature Coronary Heart Disease: Sibling History Is More Strongly Associated Than Parental History Circulation, October 12, 2004; 110(15): 2150 - 2156. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. A. Manolio, E. Boerwinkle, C. J. O'Donnell, and A. F. Wilson Genetics of Ultrasonographic Carotid Atherosclerosis Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., September 1, 2004; 24(9): 1567 - 1577. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. Alberts Genetics of Cerebrovascular Disease Stroke, February 1, 2004; 35(2): 342 - 344. [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Foerch, A. Buehler, S. von Kegler, and M. Sitzer Intima-Media Thickness Side Differences Are Limited to the Common Carotid Artery Hypertension, December 1, 2003; 42 (6): e17 - e17. [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. J. Wang, B.-H. Nam, R. B. D'Agostino, P. A. Wolf, D. M. Lloyd-Jones, C. A. MacRae, P. W. Wilson, J. F. Polak, and C. J. O'Donnell Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Is Associated With Premature Parental Coronary Heart Disease: The Framingham Heart Study Circulation, August 5, 2003; 108(5): 572 - 576. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]