# Associação entre Fatores de Risco Cardiovascular e Placas nas Artérias Carótidas em um Estudo Populacional – Estudo SHIP-Brasil

## TL;DR

This study finds that common cardiovascular risk factors like hypertension and smoking are strongly linked to carotid artery plaques in a Brazilian population.

## Contribution

The study provides population-based evidence linking multiple cardiovascular risk factors to carotid plaques in Brazil.

## Key findings

- Hypertension, diabetes, and smoking are strongly associated with carotid plaques.
- Sedentary lifestyle and obesity are significantly linked to plaque presence.
- Plaque prevalence is higher in older men, whites, and those with low alcohol consumption.

## Abstract

A doença aterosclerótica é uma causa relevante de morbidade e mortalidade na população geral, e importante para detectar fatores que possam influenciar sua prevenção.

Avaliar a associação de fatores de risco cardiovascular com placas na artéria carótida em participantes do Estudo de Saúde na Pomerânia (The Study of Health in Pomerania, SHIP).

Um total de 1953 participantes foram avaliados quanto à presença de fatores de risco cardiovasculares (hipertensão, dislipidemia, diabetes tipo 2, obesidade, tabagismo e inatividade física) e variáveis sociodemográficas (sexo, idade, cultura alemã, cor/raça autodeclarada, e consumo de álcool), circunferência da cintura, relação cintura/quadril, relação cintura-altura. A presença de placas na artéria carótida foi analisada por ultrassonografia. A associação entre as variáveis do estudo e a presença de placas foi avaliada pelo teste do qui-quadrado. Um valor de p<0,05 foi considerado significativo.

As placas estiveram presentes em 56,5% dos pacientes hipertensos (p<0,001), 49,8% dos pacientes dislipidêmicos (p<0,001), 62% dos pacientes diabéticos (p<0,001), 52% dos fumantes e 29% dos pacientes que nunca fumaram (p<0,001), 39,5% dos indivíduos sedentários e 33,1% dos não sedentários (p=0,014), 43,7% das pessoas obesas e 26,1% dos eutróficos (p<0,001).

Placas nas artérias carótidas foram prevalentes em indivíduos do sexo masculino, com idade entre 60 e 79 anos, da raça branca, hipertensos, dislipidêmicos, diabéticos, tabagistas, sedentários e obesos, de cultura alemã, analfabetos, da classe econômica A1/A2 e com baixo consumo de álcool.

Figura Central: Associação entre Fatores de Risco Cardiovascular e Placas nas Artérias Carótidas em um Estudo Populacional – Estudo SHIP-Brasil

Atherosclerotic disease is a relevant cause of morbidity and mortality in the general population, and it is important to detect factors that can influence its prevention.

To evaluate the association of cardiovascular risk factors with carotid plaques in participants of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) – Brazil.

A total of 1,953 participants were assessed for the presence of cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, obesity, smoking and physical inactivity) and sociodemographic variables (gender, age group, Germanic culture, color/race self-declared, and alcohol consumption), waist circumference measurement, waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-height ratio. The presence of carotid plaques was analyzed by ultrasound. The association between the study variables and carotid plaques was assessed using the Chi-square test. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant.

Plaques were present in 56.5% of hypertensive patients (p<0.001), 49.8% of dyslipidemic patients (p<0.001), 62% of diabetic patients (p<0.001), 52% of smokers, 29% of those who had never smoked (p<0.001), 39.5% of sedentary people and 33.1% of non-sedentary people (p=0.014), 43.7% of obese people and 26.1% of eutrophic people (p<0.001).

Carotid plaques were prevalent in men, aged between 60 and 79, white, hypertensive, dyslipidemic, diabetic, smokers, sedentary and obese, illiterate, in economic class A1/A2, and of Germanic culture, and low alcohol consumption.

Central Illustration: Association between Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Carotid Plaques in a Population-Based Study - The SHIP-Brazil Study