Background Presence of coronary artery calcium (CAC), carotid plaque, and increased carotid intima media thickness (IMT) may indicate elevated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk; however, no large studies have compared them directly. This study compares predictive utilities of CAC presence, carotid artery plaque presence, and high IMT for incident CVD events. Methods and Results Participants were from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Predictive values of carotid plaque, IMT and CAC presence were compared using Cox proportional hazards models, c-statistics, and net reclassification indices. The 6,779 participants were mean (standard deviation) 62.2 (10.2) years old; 49.9% had CAC, 46.7% had carotid plaque. The mean left and right IMT were 0.754 (0.210) mm and 0.751 (0.187) mm, respectively. After 9.5 years (mean), 538 CVD events, 388 coronary heart disease (CHD) events, and 196 stroke/transient ischemic attacks (TIA) were observed. CAC presence was a stronger predictor of incident CVD and CHD than carotid ultrasound measures. Mean IMT ≥75th percentile (for age, sex and race) alone did not predict events. Compared to traditional risk factors, c-statistics for CVD (c=0.756) and CHD (c=0.752) increased most by adding of CAC presence (CVD 0.776, CHD, 0.784; p<0.001) followed by carotid plaque presence (CVD c=0.760, CHD 0.757; p<0.05). Compared to risk factors (c=0.782), carotid plaque presence (c=0.787, p=0.045) but not CAC (c=0.785, p=0.438) improved prediction of stroke/TIA. Conclusions In adults without CVD, CAC presence improves prediction of CVD and CHD more than carotid plaque presence or high IMT. CAC and carotid ultrasound parameters performed similarly for stroke/TIA event prediction.

Background The effects of smoking and smoking cessation on lipoproteins have not been studied in a large contemporary group of smokers. This study was designed to determine the effects of smoking cessation on lipoproteins. Methods One-year, prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of the effects of 5 smoking cessation pharmacotherapies. Fasting nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy lipoprotein profiles were obtained before and 1-year after the target smoking cessation date. The effects of smoking cessation and predictors of changes in lipoproteins after one year were identified by multivariable regression. Results The 1,504 current smokers were mean (standard deviation) 45.4 (11.3) years old and smoked 21.4 (8.9) cigarettes/day at baseline. Of the 923 adult smokers who returned at 1 year, 334 (36.2%) had quit smoking. Despite gaining more weight (4.6 kg [5.7] vs. 0.7 kg [5.1], p<0.001], abstainers had increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (2.4 [8.3] vs. 0.1 [8.8] mg/dL, p<0.001], total HDL (1.0 [4.6] vs. −0.3 mcmol/L [5.0], p<0.001) and large HDL (0.6 [2.2] vs. 0.1 [2.1] mcmol/L, p=0.003) particles, compared with continuing smokers. Significant changes in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and particles were not observed. After adjustment, abstinence from smoking (p<0.001) was independently associated with increases in HDL-C and total HDL particles. These effects were stronger in women. Conclusions Despite weight gain, smoking cessation improved HDL-C, total HDL and large HDL particles, especially in women. Smoking cessation did not affect LDL or LDL size. Increases in HDL may mediate part of the reduced cardiovascular disease risk observed after smoking cessation.

Vitamin D (VitD) supplementation has been advocated for cardiovascular risk reduction; however, supporting data are sparse. The objective of this study was to determine whether VitD supplementation reduces cardiovascular risk. Subjects in this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of post-menopausal women with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations >10 and <60 ng/mL were randomized to Vitamin D3 2500 IU or placebo, daily for 4 months. Primary endpoints were changes in brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), and aortic augmentation index (AIx). The 114 subjects were mean (standard deviation) 63.9 (3.0) years old with a 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of 31.3 (10.6) ng/mL. Low VitD (<30 ng/mL) was present in 47% and was associated with higher body-mass index, systolic blood pressure, glucose, CRP, and lower FMD (all p<0.05). After 4 months, 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels increased by 15.7 (9.3) ng/mL on vitamin D3 vs. −0.2 (6.1) ng/mL on placebo (p<0.001). There were no significant differences between groups in changes in FMD (0.3 [3.4] vs. 0.3 [2.6] %, p = 0.77), PWV (0.00 [1.06] vs. 0.05 [0.92] m/s, p = 0.65), AIx (2.7 [6.3] vs. 0.9 [5.6] %, p = 0.10), or CRP (0.3 [1.9] vs. 0.3 [4.2] mg/L, p = 0.97). Multivariable models showed no significant interactions between treatment group and low VitD status (<30 ng/mL) for changes in FMD (p = 0.65), PWV (p = 0.93), AIx (p = 0.97), or CRP (p = 0.26).In conclusion, VitD supplementation did not improve endothelial function, arterial stiffness, or inflammation. These observations do not support use of VitD supplementation to reduce cardiovascular disease risk.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT00690417 Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01049048

Background and Purpose Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque are non-invasive markers of subclinical arterial injury that predict incident cardiovascular disease. We evaluated predictors of longitudinal changes in IMT and new plaque over a decade in a longitudinal multiethnic cohort. Methods Carotid IMT and plaque were evaluated in Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis participants at exams 1 and 5, a mean (standard deviation) of 9.4 (0.5) years later. Far wall carotid IMT was measured in both common (CCA) and internal carotid arteries. A plaque score was calculated from all carotid segments. Mixed effects longitudinal and multivariate regression models evaluated associations of baseline risk factors and time-updated medication use with IMT progression and plaque formation. Results The 3,441 MESA participants were 60.3 (9.4) years old (53% female; 26% African-American, 22% Hispanic, 13% Chinese); 1,620 (47%) had carotid plaque. Mean CCA IMT progression was 11.8 (12.8) μm/year. 1,923 (56%) of subjects developed new plaque. IMT progressed more slowly in Chinese (β=−2.89, p=0.001) and Hispanic participants (β=−1.81, p=0.02), and with higher baseline high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (per 5 mg/dL, β=−0.22, p=0.03), antihypertensive use (β=−2.06, p=0.0004), and time on antihypertensive medications (years) (β=−0.29, p<0.0001). Traditional risk factors were associated with new plaque formation, with strong associations for cigarette use (odds ratio 2.31, p<0.0001) and protection by African-American ethnicity (odds ratio 0.68, p<0.0001). Conclusions In a large, multi-ethnic cohort with a decade of follow-up, ethnicity is a strong, independent predictor of carotid IMT and plaque progression. Anti-hypertensive medication use was associated with less subclinical disease progression.

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Background--Coronary artery calcium (CAC) predicts coronary heart disease (CHD) events better than carotid wall plaque presence; however, differences in the utility of CAC burden and carotid plaque burden across the spectrum of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events is unknown.

Background and Purpose Arterial stiffening is associated with hypertension, stroke, and cognitive decline; however, the effects of aging and cardiovascular disease risk factors on carotid artery stiffening have not been assessed prospectively in a large multi-ethnic, longitudinal study. Methods Distensibility coefficient and Young’s elastic modulus of the right common carotid artery were calculated at baseline and after a mean (standard deviation) of 9.4 (0.5) years in 2,650 participants. Effects of age and cardiovascular disease risk factors were evaluated by multivariable mixed regression and analysis of covariance models. Results At baseline, participants were 59.9 (9.4) years old (53% female; 25% Black, 22% Hispanic, 14% Chinese). Young’s elastic modulus increased from 1,581 (927) to 1,749 (1,306) mmHg (p<0.0001) and distensibility coefficient decreased from 3.1 (1.3) to 2.7 (1.1) x 10−3 mmHg−1 (p<0.001), indicating progressive arterial stiffening. Young’s elastic modulus increased more among participants who were >75 years old at baseline (p<0.0001). In multivariable analyses, older age and less education independently predicted worsening Young’s elastic modulus and distensibility coefficient. Stopping antihypertensive medication during the study period predicted more severe worsening of Young’s elastic modulus (β=360.2 mmHg, p=0.008). Starting antihypertensive medication after exam 1 was predictive of improvements in distensibility coefficient (β =1.1 x 10−4, mmHg−1; p=0.024). Conclusions Arterial stiffening accelerates with advanced age. Older individuals experience greater increases in Young’s elastic modulus than do younger adults, even after considering the effects of traditional risk factors. Treating hypertension may slow the progressive decline in carotid artery distensibility observed with aging and improve cerebrovascular health.

Objectives To evaluate longitudinal changes in six inflammatory markers that predict cardiovascular disease events among smokers making a quit attempt and to characterize their cross-sectional associations between smoking and smoking heaviness. Approach and Results In a longitudinal cohort study of contemporary smokers (N=1652), we evaluated (i) independent associations of smoking heaviness markers (exhaled carbon monoxide, cigarettes/day, pack-years) with inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein [CRP], D-dimer, fibrinogen, urinary F2 isoprostane:creatinine [F2:Cr] ratio, white blood cell count [WBC], myeloperoxidase [MPO]), and (ii) the effects of smoking cessation and continued smoking on these inflammatory markers after one year, among the 888 smokers who made an aided quit attempt as part of a randomized comparative effectiveness trial or standard care. There were strong, independent associations between smoking heaviness markers and the F2:Cr ratio, WBC, and MPO (all padj<0.001), but not hsCRP, D-dimer, or fibrinogen. Participants were mean (standard deviation) 49.6 (11.6) years old, 54% female, 34% non-White, and smoked 16.8 (8.5) cigarettes /day for 27.3 (18.6) pack-years. After 1 year, the 344 successful abstainers gained more weight (4.0 [6.0] vs. 0.4 [5.7] pounds, p<0.001) and had larger increases in insulin resistance scores (p=0.02) than continuing smokers. Despite these increases, abstainers had significant decreases in F2:Cr ratio (p<0.001) and WBC counts (p<0.001). Changes in other markers were not related to quitting. Conclusions Smoking heaviness is associated with increased F2:Cr ratio, MPO, and WBC counts. Cessation improves the F2:Cr ratio and WBC counts independent of weight change, suggesting reduced inflammation related to less oxidant stress.