Age and Sex Differences in the Distribution and Ultrasound Morphology of Carotid Atherosclerosis The Tromsø Study

摘要: Abstract —Atherosclerosis begins early in life and is the major underlying cause of cardiovascular morbidity death. Yet, population-based information on age sex differences extent morphology atherosclerosis throughout scarce. Carotid can be visualized with B-mode ultrasound a marker elsewhere circulation. We assessed both prevalence carotid by 3016 men 3404 women, 25 to 84 years old, who participated population health survey. The participation rate was 88%. Plaque graded according whether plaque predominantly soft (echolucent) or hard (echogenic). Atherosclerotic plaques were found 55.4% 45.8% women. In men, there linear increase atherosclerosis, whereas curvilinear trend, an inflection women at ≈50 age. male predominance declined after 50 years, being similar elderly Men had softer than women; this difference increased significantly ( P =0.005) female trend show significant changes suggesting adverse effect menopause atherosclerosis. higher proportion compared increases may partly account for prevailing excess risk coronary heart disease despite