PROVITAMIN-A CAROTENOID INTAKE AND CAROTID-ARTERY PLAQUES - THE ATHEROSCLEROSIS RISK IN COMMUNITIES STUDY

We examined the cross-sectional association between intake of caroteno ids with provitamin A activity and carotid artery plaques in 12773 par ticipants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study aged 45-64 y. Usual diet was assessed with a 66-item food-frequency questionnaire . Plaques were examined by B-mode ultrasound of multiple carotid arter y segments. In both women and men, those in the highest quintile of ca rotenoid consumption had a lower prevalence of plaques (women, 25.4%; men, 36.0%) than those in the lowest quintile of carotenoid consumptio n (women, 29.3%; men, 39.8%). The prevalence odds ratios contrasting e xtreme intake quintiles were 0.82 (95% CI: 0.70, 0.97) in women and 0. 85 (95% CI: 0.72, 1.01) in men. The associations diminished slightly a fter potential confounders were adjusted for. In women, the inverse as sociation was particularly strong for current smokers (adjusted odds r atio contrasting extreme quintiles: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.45, 0.98). In men, no such effect modification by smoking was seen. The inverse associat ion was somewhat stronger in men aged 55-64 y than in those aged 45-54 y, whereas age made little difference in women. These findings, toget her with previous findings that carotenoid intake was unrelated to ave rage carotid artery wall thickness, suggest that carotenoids may exert their influence later rather than earlier in the atherosclerotic proc ess, and support the hypothesis that carotenoids or other plant-derive d compounds may play a role in preventing arterial plaque formation.