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Correlation between hypertension and common carotid artery intima-media thickness in rural China: a population-based study

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 32, pages 548–554 (2018)Cite this article

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Abstract

We aimed to explore the impact of blood pressure (BP) levels on atherosclerosis in a rural Chinese population with a low-education level, low income, high incidence of stroke, and high prevalence of hypertension. B-mode ultrasonography was used to measure carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in adults aged ≥ 45 years with no history of stroke or cardiovascular disease. A total of 5403 eligible subjects were included in this study. The mean CIMT was 0.57 mm overall, 0.58 mm for men and 0.56 mm for women. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and hypertension were significantly associated with increased CIMT. CIMT increased by 0.42 μm for every 1 mm Hg-increase in SBP (P < 0.001). The mean CIMT in participants with a history of hypertension was 17.42 μm greater than that in participants with no history of hypertension (P < 0.001). Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was a protective factor, as CIMT decreased by 0.44 μm with every 1 mm Hg-increase in DBP (P = 0.011).

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported partly by Tianjin Medical University General Hospital.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Li Ren, Min Shi

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China

    Li Ren, Min Shi, Yanan Wu, Jingxian Ni, Lingling Bai, Hongyan Lu, Jun Tu, Jinghua Wang & Xianjia Ning

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin, 300052, China

    Min Shi, Yanan Wu, Jingxian Ni, Lingling Bai, Jun Tu, Jinghua Wang & Xianjia Ning

  3. Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin, 300052, China

    Min Shi, Yanan Wu, Jingxian Ni, Lingling Bai, Jun Tu, Jinghua Wang & Xianjia Ning

  4. Centre of Clinical Epidemiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China

    Jinghua Wang & Xianjia Ning

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  1. Li Ren
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Correspondence to Xianjia Ning.

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Ren, L., Shi, M., Wu, Y. et al. Correlation between hypertension and common carotid artery intima-media thickness in rural China: a population-based study. J Hum Hypertens 32, 548–554 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41371-018-0074-x

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