Abstract
Objective: To examine the influence of lifestyle-related diseases and smoking on carotid arteriosclerosis and brain aging in middle-aged Japanese subjects.
Methods: We analyzed the findings for 1,132 apparently healthy adults aged 40 to 55 who underwent brain check-ups at our center. Carotid arteriosclerosis was defined as the thickness of intima-media complex of the carotid artery > 1.1mm and brain aging defined by brain atrophy, white matter hyperintensities, cerebral sulci dilatation, ventricular dilatation and/or cerebral infarction detected by MRI. Laboratory data and medical history details concerning diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension and hyperuricemia were obtained and used as variables for lifestyle-related diseases, and the Brinkman index was used to quantify smoking habits.
Results: In men, age, dyslipidemia and hypertension were related to carotid arteriosclerosis, and age, diabetes and hypertension were related to brain aging. In women, age, dyslipidemia and hypertension were related to carotid arteriosclerosis, but only age was related to brain aging. Smoking was not a risk factor in this cohort, either in men or women. No significant correlation between carotid arteriosclerosis and brain aging was found.
Conclusion: Age, dyslipidemia and hypertension were risk factors for carotid arteriosclerosis in both men and women, and age, diabetes and hypertension in men, but only age in women, were risks for brain aging. The association of lifestyle-related diseases with carotid arteriosclerosis was stronger than its association with brain aging. Our findings indicate that carotid artery ultrasonolography could be a powerful tool for identifying arteriosclerosis at the early stage in middle-aged subjects.
