Difference in carotid artery wall structure between Swedish and French menat low and high coronary risk

Background and Purpose-We attempted to detect a group-specific north-south difference in carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), a marker of subs equent cardiovascular complication, by means of a case (high risk)-control (low risk) study in French and Swedish men. Methods-The selection of high-risk and low-risk subjects was performed with in the lower and upper percentiles of the Framingham risk distribution of 2 samples of 1000 white, male auto workers (45 to 50 years of age) in France (Renault) and Sweden (Volvo). In total, 299 men at low risk (79 French, 76 Swedish) and high risk (61 French, 83 Swedish), free from sustained hypert ension, definite hypercholesterolemia, and cardiovascular disease, were inc luded. Both common carotid arteries, by ultrasonography and central off-lin e computerized analysis, provided measurements of far wall media thickness, lumen diameter, and cross-sectional area IMT (CSA-IMT). Results-As compared with low-risk status, high-risk status was associated w ith higher IMT (P <0.001), diameter (P <0.01), and CSA-IMT (P <0.001) in Fr ench men and higher CSA-IMT (P <0.05) in Swedish men. IMT, diameter, and CS A-IMT were higher in Swedish than in French men in the low-risk group (P <0 .001) and in the high-risk group (P <0.01, P <0.001, P <0.001). The multiva riate analysis of the whole population showed that IMT, diameter, and CSA-I MT were associated with risk status (P <0.01, P <0.01, P <0.001) and geogra phic status (P <0.001). Conclusions-These findings show that the geographic status influences carot id artery structure independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and that this may affect the mortality and morbidity gradient between North ern and Southern Europe.