Plaque characteristics and biomarkers predicting regression and progression of carotid atherosclerosis.

The factors that influence the atherosclerotic disease process in high-risk individuals remain poorly understood. Here, we used a combination of vascular imaging, risk factor assessment, and biomarkers to identify factors associated with 3-year change in carotid disease severity in a cohort of high-risk subjects treated with preventive therapy (n = 865). The results show that changes in intima-media thickness (IMT) are most pronounced in the carotid bulb.

Reservoir-Excess Pressure Parameters Independently Predict Cardiovascular Events in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes.

[Figure: see text].

The Malmö Offspring Study (MOS): design, methods and first results.

As cardio metabolic disease manifestations tend to cluster in families there is a need to better understand the underlying mechanisms in order to further develop preventive strategies. In fact, genetic markers used in genetic risk scores, important as they are, will not be able alone to explain these family clusters. Therefore, the search goes on for the so called missing heritability to better explain these associations.

Blood Lead Levels and Risk of Atherosclerosis in the Carotid Artery: Results from a Swedish Cohort.

Background: Lead exposure has been associated with increased incidence of adverse clinical cardiovascular outcomes. Atherosclerosis has been suggested as one of the underlying mechanisms, and findings from experimental studies support this, but human data are scarce.

Objectives: Our objective was to determine the association between environmental lead exposure based on blood lead (B-Pb) concentrations and the prevalence of atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery.

Skin autofluorescence as a measure of advanced glycation end product levels is associated with carotid atherosclerotic plaque burden in an elderly population.

Background: Advanced glycation end product is an established risk marker in diabetic vascular disease, but its possible associations with atherosclerosis in a general population are yet to be investigated. We studied the degree of carotid atherosclerosis and its association with skin autofluorescence in an elderly population.

Methods: Carotid ultrasound and skin autofluorescence measurements were performed in a subpopulation within the 'Malmö Diet and Cancer Cardiovascular Cohort' re-examination study ( = 523).