Stiffness of the common carotid artery in healthy 50‐year‐old subjects

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Abstract
We examined whether, in a group of healthy 50 year‐old subjects, there was a relation between the stiffness of the common carotid artery and risk factors for atherosclerosis and, further, if there was a sex difference in these healthy individuals. A group of 248 healthy subjects (123 men and 125 women), all 50 years of age, were examined. The elastic properties of the common carotid artery, measured in terms of stiffness index, were investigated with an ultrasound technique. Men had significantly higher stiffness index than women (5·46 ± 1·32 vs. 5·04 ± 1·05, P<0·01). The arterial diameter was significantly larger in men. When comparing stiffness index in a subgroup of 38 men and women with similar arterial diameters, no significant difference in stiffness index was found. Multivariate analysis showed that smoking habits, measured as pack–years, insulin levels and the low‐density lipoprotein (LDL)‐/high‐density lipoprotein (HDL)‐cholesterol ratio was independently significantly associated with the stiffness index. Sex did not emerge as a significant variable. In conclusion, there is a relation between the stiffness of the carotid arteries and risk factors for atherosclerosis such as smoking, insulin levels and LDL‐/HDL‐cholesterol ratio in healthy 50‐year‐old subjects. The stiffness is higher in men than in women, probably dependent on differences in arterial size and possibly also on risk factors.

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