Age modification of the association of lipoprotein, lipid, and lipoprotein ratio with carotid intima-media thickness (from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis [MESA]).

Multiple studies have demonstrated an age-related attenuation in risk associations of lipoproteins and lipoprotein ratios with cardiovascular disease events. We recently reported a similar age-related attenuation in risk associations of lipoproteins and lipoprotein ratios with coronary artery calcium. We assessed risk associations of lipoproteins and lipoprotein ratios with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), which has not been reported previously. We performed multivariable linear regression using data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). MESA participants were community-dwelling adults 45 to 84 years of age without clinically apparent cardiovascular disease at baseline, and 4,961 met inclusion criteria for these analyses. In fully adjusted models, differences in CIMT were similar across the MESA age spectrum, with differences in internal CIMT per SD increase in low-density lipoprotein of 0.037 mm (95% confidence interval 0.018 to 0.055) for those 45 to 54 years old and 0.087 mm (95% confidence interval 0.027 to 0.146) for those 75 to 84 years old (p for interaction = 0.2). Similarly, the difference in internal CIMT per SD increase in the total/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio was 0.029 mm (95% confidence interval 0.009 to 0.049) for those 45 to 54 years old and 0.101 mm (95% confidence interval 0.033, 0.169) for those 75 to 84 years old (p for interaction = 0.03). In general, risk associations of lipoproteins and lipoprotein ratios were associated with similar differences in CIMT across all age categories. In conclusion, abnormal lipoproteins and lipoprotein ratios in middle-aged and older patients are powerful risk factors for early atherosclerosis as manifested by an increased CIMT.