Normal LDL-Cholesterol Levels Are Associated With Subclinical Atherosclerosis in the Absence of Risk Factors

• Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2017-12, Vol.70 (24), p.2979-2991
• Main Authors: Fernández-Friera, Leticia, Fuster, Valentín, López-Melgar, Beatriz, Oliva, Belén, García-Ruiz, José M., Mendiguren, José, Bueno, Héctor, Pocock, Stuart, Ibáñez, Borja, Fernández-Ortiz, Antonio, Sanz, Javier
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aorta; Arteriosclerosis; Asymptomatic Diseases; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis - blood; Atherosclerosis - diagnosis; Bioindicators; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Blood pressure; Calcification; Calcification (ectopic); Cardiology; Cardiovascular diseases; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Confidence intervals; Coronary artery; Coronary vessels; Disease Progression; Early Diagnosis; Fasting; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Glucose; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Hemoglobin; Humans; Hypertension; LDL-cholesterol; Low density lipoprotein; Male; Medical imaging; Middle age; Middle Aged; Plaques; Prospective Studies; Regression analysis; Risk analysis; Risk Factors; Smoking; Statistical analysis; Tomography; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Triglycerides; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonography; Ultrasound
• ISSN: 0735-1097; 1558-3597
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2017.10.024

Absence of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) is traditionally considered low risk for atherosclerosis; however, individuals without CVRFs, as currently defined, still have events. This study sought to identify predictors of subclinical atherosclerosis in CVRF-free individuals. Participants from the PESA (Progression of Early Subclinical Atherosclerosis) study (n = 4,184) without conventional CVRFs were evaluated (n = 1,779; 45.0 ± 4.1 years, 50.3% women). CVRF freedom was defined as no current smoking and untreated blood pressure