Association of plasma viscosity and carotid thickening in a French workingcohort

Plasma viscosity and intima-media thickness (IMT) are frequently associated with cardiovascular disease and its risk factors. We evaluated the associa tion of theologic and vascular factors in asymptomatic subjects. Plasma vis cosity (coaxial cylinder viscometry) and both preintrusive and intrusive at herosclerosis in the carotid arteries (ultrasonography) were investigated i n 246 men and 337 women aged 17 to 65 years from the AXA study, a prospecti ve cohort of healthy workers. Plasma viscosity was positively related to ag e-adjusted mean bifurcation carotid artery IMT (P < .01 for men; P < .04 fo r women) and maximum carotid artery IMT (P < .01 for men; P < .02 for women ), but not to mean common carotid artery IMT. Multivariate adjustment affec ted these relations to a greater extent in men than in women. The odds rati o (range) of having intrusive atheroselerosis in relation to 1 SD greater p lasma viscosity was 2.27 (1.52 - 3.38) in men and 1.63 (1.17-2.26) in women . Adjustment of age, waist-to-hip ratio, smoking, hypercholesterolemia, hyp ertension, diabetes, and fibrinogen had very little effect on the magnitude of these odds ratios. Thus, plasma viscosity was associated with carotid t hickening, suggesting that theologic factors are involved in the subclinica l phase of atherosclerosis. (C) 2000 American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.