Ultrasound determined carotid and femoral atherosclerosis in Lithuanian and Swedish men: the LiVicordia study

Coronary heart disease mortality is four times higher in Lithuanian compare d to Swedish middle-aged men. Using the same equipment (Acuson XP10 with 5 MHz linear transducer) and staff we compared the amount of atherosclerosis in carotid and femoral arteries in 100 randomly sampled 50-year-old men in each of the cities Vilnius, Lithuania and Linkoping, Sweden. Atheroscleroti c plaques were more abundant in Vilnius men compared to Linkoping men (53 v ersus 28% in the common carotid artery, 73 versus 37% in the common femoral artery, P < 0.001 for both). Plaques were thicker and more extended in art eries of Vilnius men, and an ultrasound atherosclerosis score was higher in both carotid and femoral arteries (P < 0.001 for all). More Vilnius men ha d a maximal intima-media thickness of the common femoral artery above 1 mm (P < 0.005). Stiffness in the common carotid artery was higher in Vilnius m en (P < 0.001). In a linear regression model of the pooled material, after adjustment for city was made, smoking, systolic blood pressure, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and beta-carotene (inversely) significantly contri buted to a high total ultrasound score (r(2) = 0.32). These findings show t hat the higher coronary mortality noted in Lithuanian men goes together wit h a higher prevalence of early peripheral atherosclerosis. (C) 2000 Elsevie r Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.