A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis in 3-92-year-old Finns. The 3-generational cardiovascular risk in young Finns study
Authors: Raitakari, Olli T.; Koskinen, Juhani S.; Pahkala, Katja; Rovio, Suvi; Mykkänen, Juha; Kartiosuo, Noora; Stenbacka, Sini; Lisinen, Irina; Loo, Britt-Marie; Lehtimäki, Terho; Kähönen, Mika; Juonala, Markus; Laitinen, Tomi P.; Jokinen, Eero; Kaikkonen, Jari; Tossavainen, Päivi; Viikari, Jorma S.A.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Publication year: 2025
Journal: Atherosclerosis
Journal name in source: Atherosclerosis
Article number: 120426
Volume: 408
ISSN: 0021-9150
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2025.120426
Web address : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021915025013243?via%3Dihub
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication//499429509
Background and aims
Population based data are limited on the prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis across broad age-ranges from early childhood to old age. We aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of carotid artery plaques in a Finnish population.
Methods
We examined carotid arteries using ultrasound in 6692 participants from the 3-generational Young Finns Study (age 3–92 years; 56.6 % female).
Results
Carotid plaques were detected beginning from the age of 18 years. In adults aged 18–92 years, the overall prevalence was 48.2 % (men 51.7 %, women 45.7 %). The prevalence increased by age groups, being ∼5 % under age of 30, ∼30 % between ages 30 and 50, ∼60 % between ages 50 and 70, and ∼90 % above age 70. Plaques were predominantly found in the carotid bifurcation and in the internal carotid artery. High LDL-cholesterol (≥3.4 mmol/L or ≥130 mg/dL) and hypertension were strong risk factors for plaques especially among young adults under the age of 40. Despite this, about 40 % of young adults who had a plaque were not identified by these conventional risk factor assessments. The prevalence of clinical cardiovascular disease was 2.2 % among individuals without plaque vs. 18.9 % among those with plaque (age and sex adjusted risk ratio 2.2 95 %CI 1.7–2.9).
Conclusions
Carotid artery plaques are very prevalent finding among Finnish adults but not observed in children of the general population. High LDL-cholesterol concentration and hypertension are strongly associated with plaques, especially among young adults. On the other hand, these data demonstrate that a substantially large proportion of young and middle-aged adults with plaques cannot be identified by the assessment of conventional risk factors.
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Funding information in the publication:
The Young Finns Study has been financially supported by the Academy of Finland: grants 356405, 322098, 286284, 134309 (Eye), 126925, 121584, 124282, 129378 (Salve), 117797 (Gendi), and 141071 (Skidi); the Social Insurance Institution of Finland; Competitive State Research Financing of the Expert Responsibility area of Kuopio, Tampere and Turku University Hospitals (grant X51001); Juho Vainio Foundation; Paavo Nurmi Foundation; Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research; Finnish Cultural Foundation; The Sigrid Juselius Foundation; Tampere Tuberculosis Foundation; Emil Aaltonen Foundation; Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation; Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation; Diabetes Research Foundation of Finnish Diabetes Association; EU Horizon 2020 (grant 755320 for TAXINOMISIS and grant 848146 for To Aition); European Research Council (grant 742927 for MULTIEPIGEN project); Tampere University Hospital Supporting Foundation; Finnish Society of Clinical Chemistry; the Cancer Foundation Finland; pBETTER4U_EU (Preventing obesity through Biologically and bEhaviorally Tailored inTERventions for you; project number: 101080117); CVDLink (EU grant no. 101137278) and the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation.
