RELATION OF GLYCOHEMOGLOBIN AND ADIPOSITY TO ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN YOUTH

In a cooperative multicenter study (Pathobiological Determinants of At herosclerosis in Youth, PDAY) of 1532 young persons 15 through 34 year s of age who died of external causes and were autopsied in medical exa miners' laboratories, we quantified atherosclerosis of the aorta and t he right coronary artery. We analyzed postmortem blood cells for glyco hemoglobin and postmortem serum for lipoprotein cholesterol and thiocy anate (as an indicator for smoking). We measured the thickness of the panniculus adiposus and the body mass index (weight per height squared ) as indicators of adiposity. Glycohemoglobin levels exceeding 8% were associated with substantially more extensive fatty streaks and raised lesions in the right coronary artery in persons more than 25 years of age with more extensive raised lesions in the aorta in persons more t han 30 years of age. Both thickness of the panniculus adiposus and bod y mass index were associated with more extensive fatty streaks and rai sed lesions in the right coronary artery. The associations of atherosc lerotic lesions with glycohemoglobin and adiposity were not explained by a less favorable lipoprotein profile or smoking. The results show t hat atherosclerosis in young adults is associated with the prediabetic or early diabetic state, as indicated by elevated glycohemoglobin lev els, and with obesity.