Epidemiologic study on new risk factors for progression of atherosclerosis

为了调查日本人动脉粥样硬化的新危险因素，对4个社区的1，648名60-74岁的男性和女性进行了超声心动图和候选危险因素的检查。超声检查和颈动脉粥样硬化的阅读根据美国心血管健康研究的方法标准化，该研究是一项检查动脉粥样硬化危险因素的大型队列研究。（颈总动脉内膜中层厚度>=1.1 mm和/或球部和颈内动脉内膜中层厚度>=1.5 mm）包括年龄、高血压、高总胆固醇、低HDL-胆固醇、糖尿病和吸烟。年龄和高血压是颈总动脉和球/颈内动脉粥样硬化的常见危险因素。高总胆固醇、低HDL-胆固醇是颈总动脉粥样硬化的危险因素，而球动脉和颈内动脉无此危险因素。血浆纤维蛋白原或血小板聚集与颈总动脉或球/颈动脉的颈动脉粥样硬化无关。血浆E选择素作为颈动脉粥样硬化的新因子，与颈动脉粥样硬化的发生密切相关。单核细胞和淋巴细胞计数，尤其是记忆T细胞与颈总动脉粥样硬化相关。血浆同型半胱氨酸与正常血压男性颈动脉粥样硬化的发生有关，高浓度的E选择素、高浓度的同型半胱氨酸、高数量的单核细胞和记忆T细胞是动脉粥样硬化的新危险因素。

To investigate new risk factors for atherosclerosis among Japanese, the examination of echocardiograms and candidate risk factors were conducted for a total of 1,648 men and women aged 60-74 years in four communities. Sonography and reading of carotid atherosclerosis were standardized according to the methods of Cardiovascular Health Study in the United States, a large cohort study of examining of atherosclerosis risk factors.Conventional risk factors for carotid athrosclerosis (intima-media thickness >=1.1 mm for common carotid and/or >=1.5 mm for bulb and internal carotid) included age, hypertension, high total cholesterol, low HDL-cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking. Age and hypertension were common risk factors for atheorsclerosis in both common and bulb/internal carotid arteries. High total cholesterol, low HDL-cholesterol were risk factors for atherosclerosis in common arteries, but no in bulb/internal carotid arteries. Plasma fibrinogen or platelet aggregation were not associated with carotid ahthersclerosis in either common or bulb/carotid arteries. As new factors for carotid for carotid atherosclerosis, plasma E selection (one of the adhesion molecules) was associated with common carotid atherosclerosis. Counts of monocytes and lymphocyte, more specifically memory T cell lymphocytes were associated with common carotid atherosclerosis. Plasma homocysteine was associated with carotid atherosisclerosis in normotensive men.In conclusion, the present study showed high concentraions of E selectin and homocysteine, and high counts of monocytes and memory T cell as new risk factors for atherosclerosis.