Mediterranean Diet Is a Predictor of Progression of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in a Mediterranean Population: The ILERVAS Prospective Cohort Study.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease remains a major health issue, often developing silently as subclinical atherosclerotic disease (SAD). The Mediterranean diet (MDiet) is known for its cardiovascular benefits, but the combined influence of both MDiet adherence and physical activity (PA) on SAD progression has not been previously documented. We aimed to investigate how adherence to a healthy lifestyle, defined as MDiet adherence and PA level, influences SAD progression in subjects from the ILERVAS cohort follow-up.

Low adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with increased prevalence and number of atherosclerotic plaques in the ILERVAS cohort.

Background And Aims: Current research on the association between dietary patterns and subclinical atherosclerotic disease (SAD) is still limited, and published results are inconsistent and often consist of small population sizes. We aimed to evaluate the association between the Mediterranean diet (MDiet) and SAD in a large cohort of Mediterranean individuals.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that included 8116 subjects from the ILERVAS cohort.

Cumulative tobacco consumption has a dose-dependent effect on atheromatosis burden and improves severe atheromatosis prediction in asymptomatic middle-aged individuals: The ILERVAS study.

Background And Aims: Sex-specific impact of cumulative tobacco consumption (CTC) on atheromatosis extension and total plaque area remains unknown. We aimed to determine the impact of CTC in atheromatosis localization and burden.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis in 8330 asymptomatic middle-aged individuals.

Development and Validation of a Personalized, Sex-Specific Prediction Algorithm of Severe Atheromatosis in Middle-Aged Asymptomatic Individuals: The ILERVAS Study.

Background: Although European guidelines recommend vascular ultrasound for the assessment of cardiovascular risk in low-to-moderate risk individuals, no algorithm properly identifies patients who could benefit from it. The aim of this study is to develop a sex-specific algorithm to identify those patients, especially women who are usually underdiagnosed.

Methods: Clinical, anthropometrical, and biochemical data were combined with a 12-territory vascular ultrasound to predict severe atheromatosis (SA: ≥ 3 territories with plaque).

Prevalence and Predictors of Cerebral Microangiopathy Determined by Pulsatility Index in an Asymptomatic Population From the ILERVAS Project.

Little is known about the prevalence of cerebral microangiopathy (CM), which is related to cognitive impairment, in an asymptomatic population. Pulsatility index (PI) is an easily measurable parameter of cerebral vascular resistance in transcranial duplex of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) study. We aimed to determine the prevalence of CM measured by PI of MCA in low to moderate vascular risk subjects.