Intima-media thickness of carotid arteries in borderline hypertensives

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease on the process of subclinical atherosclerosis i n originally borderline hypertensives. The relation of far wall common caro tid artery intima-media thickness (IMT CCA) measured by B-mode ultrasound t o smoking, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, lipids, and angiotensin-c onverting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism was analyzed. In 48 subjects exami ned (mean age, 61.9 +/- 2.54 years), median IMT CCA war 0.708 mm. Statistic ally significant differences in BMI (26.5 vs. 29.2 kg/m(2), p<0.025) and HD L-cholesterol level (1.42 vs. 1.1 mmol/l, p<0.025) between the first and th ird tertile of IMT CCA were found. No differences were observed between "co ntrols" and "cases" in blood pressure, total cholesterol, and triacylglycer ols. No significant differences in IMT CCA were found between smokers and n onsmokers and among different alleles of the ACE gene. These data reflect t he importance of HDL-cholesterol and BMI on the process of atherosclerosis within an otherwise homogeneous group of patients.