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Background: Behavioral and substance addictions are prevalent health problems that, alongside obesity, are linked to reduced physical activity and increased sedentary time. Similarly, arterial stiffness and vascular aging are processes that begin gradually at an early age and are closely associated with morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. The main objective of this study is to analyze how addictions are related to obesity and body fat distribution, physical activity, sedentary time, arterial stiffness and vascular aging, as well as sleep quality, cognitive function and gender differences in young adults aged between 18 and 34 years., Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive observational study will analyze data from 500 subjects (250 men and 250 women) aged 18-34 without cardiovascular disease, selected by simple random sampling with replacement from the urban population of the city center of Salamanca (34,044 people aged 18-34, with 18,450 women and 15,594 men). Behavioral and substance addictions, as well as sleep quality and cognitive impairment will be assessed using questionnaires. The Pittisburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) will be used to measure sleep quality and the Ford questionnaire will be used to measure insomnia in response to stress. For obesity, weight, height, waist and hip circumference, body composition will be measured with the Inbody 230 ® impedance meter. For physical activity and sedentary time, we will use the Actigraph ® accelerometer alongside the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Marshall questionnaire. The Sphygmocor System ® will be used for pulse wave analysis and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), while the Vasera VS-2000 ® will measure cardio ankle vascular index (CAVI) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Vascular aging will be calculated with the 10th and 90th percentiles of cfPWV or baPWV. Demographic, analytical variables will be collected, as will data to assess vascular, cardiac, renal, and brain injury., Discussion: Addictions are on the rise in today's society, affecting the mental health and well-being of those who suffer from them, generating important social problems such as job loss, family dysfunction, debt and social isolation. Together with obesity, they are prevalent health problems in young adults and are associated with lower physical activity and higher sedentary time. Meanwhile, arterial stiffness and vascular aging are processes that begin gradually at an early age and determine morbidity and mortality caused by cardiovascular diseases. The results of this project will allow us to understand the situation regarding behavioral and substance addictions in young adults. Better understanding of these addictions will in turn facilitate the development of more effective prevention strategies and intervention programs, which can then reduce the negative impact at both the individual and societal levels., Clinical Trial Registration: [ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT05819840]., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Vicente-Gabriel, Lugones-Sánchez, Tamayo-Morales, Vicente Prieto, González-Sánchez, Conde Martín, Gómez-Sánchez, Rodríguez-Sánchez, García-Ortiz, Gómez-Sánchez, Gómez-Marcos and EVA-Adic Investigators Group.)

The aim of this longitudinal descriptive observational study was to analyze the influence of different lifestyles on arterial stiffness (AS) throughout five years of follow-up and to describe the differences by sex in a Spanish adult population without cardiovascular disease at the start of the study. A random stratified sampling by age and sex was used to obtain 501 subjects included in the initial assessment. No cardiovascular disease was allowed in the subjects. The average age was 55.9 years, and 50.3% were women. A total of 480 subjects were analyzed again five years later. Alcohol and tobacco consumption were collected with standardized questionnaires. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed with the Mediterranean diet adherence screener (MEDAS) questionnaire. Physical activity was assessed with the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and sedentary time was assessed with the Marshall Sitting Questionnaire (MSQ). AS was assessed by measuring carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and central augmentation index (CAIx) with SphygmoCor System ® , and ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and cardio ankle vascular index (CAVI) with Vasera VS-1500 ® . Increases in vascular function measures per year of follow-up were: cfPWV = 0.228 ± 0.360 m/s, baPWV = 0.186 ± 0.308 m/s, CAVI = 0.041 ± 0.181 m/s, and CAIx = 0.387 ± 2.664 m/s. In multiple regression analysis, positive association was shown between an increase in baPWV and tobacco index (β = 0.007) and alcohol consumption (β = 0.005). Negative association was shown between CAVI and Mediterranean diet score (β = -0.051). In multinomial logistic regression analysis, the OR of tobacco index of subjects with a cfPWV increase >P75 was OR = 1.025 and of subjects classified between P25 and P75 was OR = 1.026 regarding subjects classified with an increase P75 was OR = 1.006 regarding subjects classified with an increase P75, and an OR = 0.841 was found of subjects classified between P25-75 regarding subjects classified with an increase

Background: The microbiota is increasingly recognized as a significant factor in the pathophysiology of many diseases, including cardiometabolic diseases, with lifestyles probably exerting the greatest influence on the composition of the human microbiome. The main objectives of the study are to analyze the association of lifestyles (diet, physical activity, tobacco, and alcohol) with the gut and oral microbiota, arterial aging, and cognitive function in subjects without cardiovascular disease in the Iberian Peninsula. In addition, the study will examine the mediating role of the microbiome in mediating the association between lifestyles and arterial aging as well as cognitive function., Methods and Analysis: MIVAS III is a multicenter cross-sectional study that will take place in the Iberian Peninsula. One thousand subjects aged between 45 and 74 years without cardiovascular disease will be selected. The main variables are demographic information, anthropometric measurements, and habits (tobacco and alcohol). Dietary patterns will be assessed using a frequency consumption questionnaire (FFQ) and the Mediterranean diet adherence questionnaire. Physical activity levels will be evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Marshall Questionnaire, and an Accelerometer (Actigraph). Body composition will be measured using the Inbody 230 impedance meter. Arterial aging will be assessed through various means, including measuring medium intimate carotid thickness using the Sonosite Micromax, conducting analysis with pulse wave velocity (PWA), and measuring pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) using the Sphygmocor System. Additional cardiovascular indicators such as Cardio Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI), ba-PWV, and ankle-brachial index (Vasera VS-2000 ® ) will also be examined. The study will analyze the intestinal microbiota using the OMNIgene GUT kit (OMR-200) and profile the microbiome through massive sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA), effect size (LEfSe), and compositional analysis, such as ANCOM-BC, will be used to identify differentially abundant taxa between groups. After rarefying the samples, further analyses will be conducted using MicrobiomeAnalyst and R v.4.2.1 software. These analyses will include various aspects, such as assessing α and β diversity, conducting abundance profiling, and performing clustering analysis., Discussion: Lifestyle acts as a modifier of microbiota composition. However, there are no conclusive results demonstrating the mediating effect of the microbiota in the relationship between lifestyles and cardiovascular diseases. Understanding this relationship may facilitate the implementation of strategies for improving population health by modifying the gut and oral microbiota., Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04924907, ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04924907. Registered on 21 April 2021., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Lugones-Sánchez, Santos-Mínguez, Salvado, González-Sánchez, Tamayo-Morales, Hoya-González, Ramírez-Manent, Magallón-Botaya, Quesada-Rico, Garcia-Cubillas, Rodríguez-Sánchez, Gómez-Marcos, Benito-Sanchez, Mira, Hernandez-Rivas, Garcia-Ortiz and MIVAS III Researchers Group.)

Background: Cognitive impairment and dementia have a high prevalence among the elderly and cause significant socio-economic impact. Any progress in their prevention can benefit millions of people. Current data indicate that cardiovascular risk (CVR) factors increase the risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia. Using models to calculate CVR specific for the Spanish population can be useful for estimating the risk of cognitive deterioration since research on this topic is limited and predicting this risk is mainly based on outcomes in the Anglo-Saxon population. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between CVR in the Spanish population, as calculated using the FRESCO (Función de Riesgo Española de acontecimientos Coronarios y Otros) and REGICOR (Registre Gironí del Cor) CVR tables, and the change in cognitive performance at a 5-year follow-up., Methods: Design: Observational, analytic, prospective cohort study, with a 5-year follow-up. Ambit: Population. Population: Subjects 55 to 74 years of age, included in the NEDICES2 (2014-2017) cohort, who did not present dementia and had undergone the neuropsychological evaluation (N = 962). Variables: Exposure factors (CVR factors and estimated risk according to the CVR predictors by REGICOR and FRESCO), dependent variables (change in the score of the brief neuropsychological test in the study NEDICES2 five years after the first evaluation), and clinical and socio-demographic variables. Statistical analysis: Analysis of data quality. Descriptive analysis: socio-demographic and clinical variables of subjects. Bivariate analysis: relationship between basal CVR and change in neuropsychological tests. Multivariate analysis: relationship between basal CVR and change in neuropsychological tests adjusted by co-variables. Analysis and comparison of the reliable change in independent samples., Discussion: The Spanish population can benefit from determining if individuals with high CVR, which is commonly detected in usual clinical practice, will present decreased cognitive performance compared to subjects with lower CVR. This study can affect how to address CVR factors and the design of effective prevention strategies for cognitive deterioration., Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03925844., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2022 Tapias-Merino et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the association of physical activity and its intensity with arterial stiffness and vascular aging and differences by sex in a Spanish population with intermediate cardiovascular risk., Methods: Cross-sectional study. A total of 2475 individuals aged 35-75 years participated in the study. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured using a VaSera VS-1500 ® device. Based on the age and sex percentile presented by the participants, the latter were classified as follows: those with a percentile above 90 and presenting established cardiovascular disease were classified as early vascular aging (EVA); those with a percentile between 10 and 90 were classified as normal vascular aging (NVA) and those with a percentile below 10 were classified as healthy vascular aging (HVA). Physical activity was analyzed through the short version of the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (MLTPAQ)., Results: The mean age of the participants was 61.34 ± 7.70 years, with 61.60% men. Of the total sample, 86% were sedentary (83% men vs 90% women). The total physical activity showed a negative association with baPWV (β = - 0.045; 95% CI - 0.080 to - 0.009). Intense physical activity showed a negative relationship with baPWV (β = - 0.084; 95% CI - 0.136 to - 0.032). The OR of the total physical activity and the intense physical activity carried out by the subjects classified as NVA with respect to those classified as HVA was OR = 0.946; (95% CI 0.898 to 0.997) and OR = 0.903; (95% CI 0.840 to 0.971), and of those classified as EVA it was OR = 0.916; (95% CI 0.852 to 0.986) and OR = 0.905; (95% CI 0.818 to 1.000). No association was found with moderate- or low-intensity physical activity., Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that, when intense physical activity is performed, the probability of presenting vascular aging is lower. In the analysis by sex, this association is only observed in men., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: The aim of this work was to analyse the association of the retinal arteriolar calibre and the arteriole/venule index (AV index) with vascular ageing in a general population without previous cardiovascular disease., Materials and Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study. A total of 482 individuals without cardiovascular disease (mean age: 55.6 ± 14.2 years) were selected by random sampling, stratified by age and sex. The retinal arteriolar calibre was measured using digital fundus images of the back of the eye captured with a validated, semiautomatized and computer-assisted software (Index calculator). Vascular ageing was defined using three criteria based on the values of: (1) Carotid-femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (cfPWV), (2) Brachial-ankle Pulse Wave Velocity (baPWV) and (3) Carotid Intima-Media Thickness., Results: The AV index and arteriolar calibre show a negative correlation with age, arterial pressure, cardiovascular risk and parameters of vascular structure and function (p < 0.001 in all cases). We found lower mean values of the AV index and arteriolar calibre in the individuals with early vascular ageing compared to those with healthy vascular ageing. AV index was negatively correlated with cfPWV ((β=-2.9; 95% CI (-4.7; -1.1)), baPWV ((β=-3.2; 95% CI (-5.4; -0.9)) and vascular ageing index ((β=-1.7; 95% CI (-2.7; -0.7)). Arteriolar calibre showed a negative correlation with baPWV (β=-0.1; 95% CI (-0.2; -0.1)). In the logistic regression analysis, lower values of AV index ((OR=0.01; 95% CI (0.01-0.10), OR=0.03; 95% CI (0.01-0.11) and OR=0.09; 95% CI (0.01-0.67)) were associated with EVA defined with cfPWV, baPWV and vascular ageing index respectively, and lower values of arteriolar calibre ((OR=0.71; 95% CI (0.55-0.91)) were associated with EVA defined with vascular ageing index., Conclusions: Lower values of AV index and retinal arteriolar calibre were associated with vascular ageing in a general Spanish population without previous cardiovascular disease., (© 2021 The Authors. European Journal of Clinical Investigation published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.)

Introduction: Little is known about the relationship between arterial stiffness and cardiovascular target organ damage (TOD) in the general population. The aim was to analyse the relationship between different measurements of arterial stiffness and TOD, in a general Spanish population without a history of cardiovascular event., Materials and Methods: Transversal descriptive study. Through stratified random sampling, a total of 501 individuals were included. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) was measured using a SphygmoCor System ® , the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) was determined with aVasera VS-1500 ® and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV)was calculated through a validated equation., Results: The average age was 55.84 ± 14.26.The percentage of vascular TOD, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and renal TOD was higher in men ( p  < .001). A positive correlation was obtained between carotid intima-media thickness (c-IMT) and the measurements of vascular function. In the model 1 of the logistic regression analysis, cf-PWV was associated with vascular TOD (OR = 1.15, p  = .040), ba-PWV was associated with vascular TOD (OR = 1.20, p  = .010) and LVH (OR = 1.12, p  = .047)., Conclusions: The different measurements of arterial stiffness are highly associated with each other. Moreover, cf-PWV and ba-PWV were associated with vascular TOD, and ba-PWV with LVH, although they disappear when adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors. Key Messages There is a strong correlation between the different measurements of vascular structure and function. Carotid-femoral and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity were positively associated with vascular target organ damage, the latter was also positively associated with left ventricular hypertrophy. This associations disappear when adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors.

Aims: Current cardiovascular (CV) risk prediction algorithms are able to quantify the individual risk of CV disease. However, CV risk in young adults is underestimated due to the high dependency of age in biomarker-based algorithms. Because oxidative stress is associated with CV disease, we sought to examine CV risk stratification in young adults based on oxidative stress to approach the discovery of new markers for early detection of pathology. Results: Young adults were stratified into (i) healthy controls, (ii) subjects with CV risk factors, and (iii) patients with a reported CV event. Plasma samples were analyzed using FASILOX, a novel approach to interrogate the dynamic thiol redox proteome. We also analyzed irreversible oxidation by targeted searches using the Uniprot database. Irreversible oxidation of cysteine (Cys) residues was greater in patients with reported CV events than in healthy subjects. These results also indicate that oxidation is progressive. Moreover, we found that glutathione reductase and glutaredoxin 1 proteins are differentially expressed between groups and are proteins involved in antioxidant response, which is in line with the impaired redox homeostasis in CV disease. Innovation: This study, for the first time, describes the oxidative stress (reversible and irreversible Cys oxidation) implication in human plasma according to CV risk stratification. Conclusion: The identification of redox targets and the quantification of protein and oxidative changes might help to better understand the role of oxidative stress in CV disease, and aid stratification for CV events beyond traditional prognostic and diagnostic markers. Antioxid. Redox Signal . 35, 602-617.

Several models are available to calculate the risk of developing cardiovascular complications in mid-life. The estimation of lifetime risk in the long-term remains an unmet clinical need. We previously identified new molecular plasma signatures for cardiovascular risk stratification in a young population (30-50-years old). The aim of the present study was to determine if the specific signature found in young population changes with age. Proteomic analysis was performed in plasma samples obtained from different age groups, middle-age (50-70-years old, n = 63) and elderly (>70-years old, n = 61), which, in turn were classified into 3 subgroups according to cardiovascular risk. Our previous results in a young population clearly showed two different proteomic signatures. Building on these findings, targeted-mass spectrometry and turbidimetry analyses were used to test these signatures in middle-age and elderly populations. This strategy identified three common proteomic signatures between young and adult patients related to cardiovascular stratification, organ damage and risk prediction. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed the potential value of these novel markers for lifetime risk stratification. Our results provide new insight into altered molecular mechanisms in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and, more importantly, identify novel protein panels that can stratify patients throughout life. SIGNIFICANCE: Our results revealed three common proteomic signatures between young and adult patients related to cardiovascular stratification, organ damage and risk prediction. The results obtained provide a deeper insight into the pathogenesis of CV diseases and allow the identification of novel protein panels to stratify patients according to CV risk throughout life. While current estimators calculate the risk of having a CV event considering age as the most important factor to CV disease, our results represent an alternative to traditional CV risk factors, allowing the stratification of CV risk regardless of the age. Using a combination of traditional markers and established algorithms with these findings as a future preventive strategy, could facilitate an adequate assessment of CV risk., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MDA) and its components on early vascular aging (EVA) in a Spanish population sample free of cardiovascular disease and to analyze the differences by sex., Methods: We recruited 501 individuals aged 35-75 without cardiovascular disease by random sampling (55.90 ± 14.24 years, 49.70% men). EVA was defined in two steps: Step 1: subjects with vascular damage in carotid arteries or peripheral artery disease were classified as EVA. Step 2: subjects at the percentile of the combined Vascular Aging Index (VAI) were classified; ≥ p90 was considered EVA and < p90 was considered normal vascular aging (NVA), estimated using the following formula (VAI = (log (1.09) × 10 cIMT + log (1.14) cfPWV) × 39.1 + 4.76 by age and sex. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) was measured by SphigmoCor System® and carotid intima-media thickness by Sonosite Micromax® ultrasound and classified thus: values ≥ Percentile 90 were considered EVA and those < Percentile 90 as NVA, with population percentiles analyzed. The principal result variable was assessed using the 14-item MEDAS questionnaire, developed and validated by the PREDIMED group, comprising 12 questions about the frequency of food consumption and two questions regarding the Spanish population's typical eating habits., Results: MDA was observed by 25% (17% men and 34% women). EVA was present in 17% (29% men and 4% women). The adjusted logistic regression models showed that an increase in MDA decreases the probability of EVA in the global analysis (OR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.16-0.82). In the analysis by sex, this association was only seen in men (OR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.12-0.86), but not in women (OR = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.04-2.50)., Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that a greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet decreases the probability of presenting EVA. In the analysis by sex, this association applies only to men.

Introduction and Objectives: To describe, for the first time, reference values for the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (BA-PWV), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CF-PWV), and the central augmentation index and to establish their association with cardiovascular risk factors in the Spanish adult population aged 35 to 75 years without cardiovascular disease., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study. Through random sampling stratified by age and sex, we included 501 participants without cardiovascular disease. The mean age was 55.9 years and 50.3% were women. The measurements were taken using the SphigmoCor and Vasera VS-1500 devices., Results: Values for all measures, except those for the central augmentation index, were higher in men and increased with age and blood pressure. The mean values were as follows: CAVI, 8.01±1.44; BA-PWV, 12.93±2.68m/s; CF-PWV, 6.53±2.03 m/s, and central augmentation index, 26.84±12.79. On multiple regression analysis, mean blood pressure was associated with the 4 measures, glycated hemoglobin was associated with all measures except the central augmentation index, and body mass index showed an inverse association with CAVI. The explanatory capacity of age, sex, and mean blood pressure was 62% for BA-PWV, 49% for CF-PWV 49%, 54% for the CAVI, and 38% for the central augmentation index. On logistic regression, hypertension was associated with the CAVI (OR=3.45), VOP-BT (OR=3.44), VOP-CF (OR=3.38) and with the central augmentation index (OR=3.73)., Conclusions: All arterial stiffness measures increased with age. The CAVI and CF-PWV were higher in men and the central augmentation index was higher in women, with no differences in BA-PWV. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier NCT02623894., (Copyright © 2019 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Cardiovascular risk (CVR) tends to be estimated in the short-term, which underestimates lifetime (LT)-CVR of young subjects. We determined whether LT-CVR is associated with a multimarker score of oxidative status in young adults and whether this association is independent of traditional CVR factors. Seventy-two young adults were stratified into: (1) low or (2) high LT-CVR, and (3) stable coronary artery disease (SCAD). CVR was estimated with QRisk and atherosclerotic CV disease (ASCVD) risk estimators, or second manifestations of arterial disease (SMART). Risk score. oxidative damage was determined by measuring carbonyls, oxidized LDL (oxLDL), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and xanthine oxidase activity. Antioxidant defence was determined by total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase (CAT) activity and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Multimarker scores of systemic oxidative damage (OxyScore) and antioxidant defence (AntioxyScore) were computed as standardized variables. Subjects with high LT-CVR had significantly higher levels of oxLDL, 8-OHdG, TAC, and CAT activity than subjects with low LT-CVR or with SCAD. QRisk and ASCVD estimators correlated positively with oxLDL, TAC, and CAT activity, while SMART Risk Score correlated with carbonyls and SOD activity. OxyScore and AntioxyScore were significantly higher in subjects with high LT-CVR than with low LT-CVR or with SCAD. OxyScore, but not AntioxyScore, was associated with LT-CVR independently of each traditional CVR factor. This study for the first time demonstrates a positive association between oxidative stress and the risk of first and recurrent CV events in young adults., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, cardiovascular risk factors, and the psychosocial characteristics associated with them in an urban population aged 65 years and older., Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study of the population., Setting: City of Salamanca (Spain)., Participants: A total of 480 participants aged 65 and older were selected using a stratified randomized sampling method. A health questionnaire was completed in the participants' homes., Main Measurements: Weight, height, waist circumference, arterial pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol, were measured, and the standardized prevalence for a European population was estimated., Results: A total of 327 participants were interviewed (68.10% of those selected), mean age of participants was 76 (SD: 7.33). Of the total, 64.5% were women and 20.2% (15.8-24.5) had some cardiovascular disease. In males, the most prevalent cardiovascular disease was ischemic heart disease (12.1% [6.1-18]), while in females it was heart failure (10.4% [6.3-14.6]). Hypertension was the most frequent cardiovascular risk factor for males (63.8% [53.2-70.9]) and females (69.7%.[63.5-75.9]), followed by diabetes in males (36.2% [27.5-45]), and sedentary lifestyle in females (36.0% [29.5-42.5]). Those with cardiovascular diseases were more dependent and had a worse prognosis (Charlson's Comorbility Index)., Conclusions: Ischemic heart disease is the most prevalent heart disease in males, while heart failure is the most prevalent disease for females. Almost 80% of the population aged 65 and older did not suffer any of the three cardiovascular diseases that are the main causes of mortality in this group of age. Participants who had a CVD were more dependent for activities of daily living., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)

Background: To assess which measurement of common carotid intima-media thickness (CC-IMT) is associated to a greater overall cardiovascular risk (CVR), and vascular cardiac and renal target organ damage (TOD), in diabetic, hypertensive patients and healthy subjects., Methods: A cross-sectional study, inclusion of 305 patients (113 hypertensive, 100 diabetics, and 92 healthy), aged 30-75 years., Measurements: Mean CC-IMT and maximum CC-IMT in near and far walls and in the anterior, lateral and posterior projections. Ankle/brachial index (ABI), pulse wave velocity (PWV), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), albumin/creatinine ratio, Cornell voltage-duration product (VDP) and CVR with the Framingham equation and the SCORE., Results: CC-IMT shows a positive correlation with CVR, PWV, and Cornell VDP, and a negative correlation with ABI and GFR (P < 0.001), with no difference between mean and maximum values, near and far wall, or projections. The odds ratio (OR) for the presence of TOD was greatest in mean CC-IMT (OR = 1.85 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.335-2.58)) and lowest in maximum CC-IMT in the posterior projections OR = 1.42 (95% CI: 1.12-1.80). For each unit increase in mean CC-IMT, a risk increase by 1.98 may be expected (95% CI: 0.69-3.26), whereas the risk increase for each unit increase in maximum CC-IMT is 1.75 (95% CI: 0.70-2.79) (P < 0.001) with Framingham and with no significant association with SCORE., Conclusions: The CC-IMT measurement protocol best predicting for the occurrence of TOD and CVR estimated with Framingham is the mean of 120 measures of mean values in the near and far walls in all three projections of both carotid arteries.

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of the diagnostic tests recommended by the European Society of Hypertension/Cardiology Guidelines (ESH-ESC 2007) in hypertensive patients classified as being at low or moderate risk, analyzing the change to high risk classification and the characteristics associated with such change., Methods: A cross-sectional study was made in 391 patients aged between 30 and 80 years recently diagnosed with arterial hypertension in the Primary Care setting. The criteria of the 2007 ESH-ESC Guidelines were followed for the evaluation of risk factors, subclinical organ damage, cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk. In addition to the routine tests, echocardiography, carotid ultrasound, albumin/creatinine ratio, estimated glomerular filtration rate, ankle-brachial index, pulse wave velocity and retinography were used. We established four levels of testing performed for risk classification., Results: Using the routine tests to evaluate risk (level 1), 218 (55.8%) patients were classified as being at high risk. Of the 173 patients classified as presenting low or moderate risk, the ankle-brachial index, albumin/creatinine ratio and glomerular filtration rate were determined (level 2), and 18 patients (10.4%) were classified as being at high risk. With echocardiography and carotid ultrasound (level 3), another 16 patients (10%) were raised to high risk. Finally, with pulse wave velocity and retinography (level 4), 10 additional patients (5%) were classified as presenting high risk. Patients with increased blood pressure, advanced age and women showed a 4.28-fold (95%CI: 2.01-9.16), 3.54-fold (95%CI: 1.61-7.77) and 1.36-fold (95%CI: 0.62-3.00) higher probability of being reclassified to high cardiovascular risk, respectively., Conclusions: With the non-routine tests, 25.4% of the low or moderate risk patients were reclassified as presenting high risk.

Objective: To analyze the reliability and validity of a semiautomated tool for assessing retinal vessel caliber and to describe the relationship of measures taken to cardiovascular risk and target organ damage., Methods: A total of 210 patients aged 34-75 years were selected with retinography. Retinal photographs were digitized, and superior and inferior temporal vessels were measured in an area 0.5-1 disk diameter from the optic disc with semiautomated software [arteriole/venule index (AVIx) calculator]. AVIx was also estimated. Vascular damage was assessed using carotid intima-media thickness and pulse wave velocity, cardiac damage using Cornell voltage-duration product, renal damage using the glomerular filtration rate and microalbuminuria, and cardiovascular risk with the Framingham score., Results: Interobserver intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) ranged from 0.96 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.94-0.97] to 0.99 (95% CI 0.98-0.99), and intraobserver ICC ranged from 0.97 (95% CI 0.94-0.98) to 0.99 (95% CI 0.99-0.99). In the Bland-Altman plot, the limit of interobserver agreement was -0.009 (0.066 to -0.086) in right AVIx and -0.001 (0.083 to -0.085) in left AVIx, whereas the limit of intraobserver agreement for overall AVIx was -0.005 (-0.057 to -0.047). Cardiovascular risk and albumin-creatinine ratio were higher in the first tertile of AVIx as compared with the other two (P < 0.05). In multiple regression, AVIx and venule caliber, but not artery caliber, behaved as predictors of cardiovascular risk and microalbuminuria., Conclusion: This tool showed a high intraobserver and interobserver reliability, and results of the validity analysis agree with those from large studies in estimation of cardiovascular risk and evaluation of target organ damage.

Background: To analyze the relationship of cocoa intake to central and peripheral blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and carotid intima-media thickness in subjects with some cardiovascular risk factor., Design: A cross-sectional study of 351 subjects (mean age 54.76 years, 62.4% males)., Measurements: Intake of cocoa and other foods using a food frequency questionnaire, central and peripheral (ambulatory and office) blood pressure, central and peripheral augmentation index, pulse wave velocity, ambulatory arterial stiffness index, carotid intima-media thickness, and ankle-brachial index., Results: Higher pulse wave velocity and greater cardiovascular risk were found in non-cocoa consumers as compared to high consumers (p < 0.05). In a multivariate analysis, these differences disappeared after adjusting for age, gender, the presence of diabetes, systolic blood pressure and antihypertensive and lipid-lowering drug use. All other arterial stiffness measures (central and peripheral augmentation index, ambulatory arterial stiffness index, ankle-brachial index, and carotid intima-media thickness) showed no differences between the different consumption groups., Conclusions: In subjects with some cardiovascular risk factors, cocoa consumption does not imply improvement in the arterial stiffness values., Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT01325064.

Background: Studies centered on the detection of cognitive impairment and its relationship to cardiovascular risk factors in elderly people have gained special relevance in recent years. Knowledge of the cardiovascular risk factors that may be associated to cognitive impairment could be very useful for introducing treatments in early stages - thereby possibly contributing to improve patient quality of life.The present study explores cognitive performance in people over 65 years of age in Salamanca (Spain), with special emphasis on the identification of early symptoms of cognitive impairment, with the purpose of detecting mild cognitive impairment and of studying the relationships between this clinical situation and cardiovascular risk factors., Methods/design: A longitudinal study is contemplated. The reference population will consist of 420 people over 65 years of age enrolled through randomized sampling stratified by healthcare area, and who previously participated in another study., Measurement: a) Sociodemographic variables; b) Cardiovascular risk factors; c) Comorbidity; d) Functional level for daily life activities; and e) Study of higher cognitive functions based on a neuropsychological battery especially adapted to the evaluation of elderly people., Discussion: We hope that this study will afford objective information on the representative prevalence of cognitive impairment in the population over 65 years of age in Salamanca. We also hope to obtain data on the relationship between cognitive impairment and cardiovascular risk factors in this specific population group. Based on the results obtained, we also will be able to establish the usefulness of some of the screening tests applied during the study, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination and the 7 Minute Screen test., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01327196.

Background: Diabetic patients show an increased prevalence of non-dipping arterial pressure pattern, target organ damage and elevated arterial stiffness. These alterations are associated with increased cardiovascular risk.The objectives of this study are the following: to evaluate the prognostic value of central arterial pressure and pulse wave velocity in relation to the incidence and outcome of target organ damage and the appearance of cardiovascular episodes (cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, chest pain and stroke) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus or metabolic syndrome., Design: This is an observational prospective study with 5 years duration, of which the first year corresponds to patient inclusion and initial evaluation, and the remaining four years to follow-up., Setting: The study will be carried out in the urban primary care setting., Study Population: Consecutive sampling will be used to include patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes between 20-80 years of age. A total of 110 patients meeting all the inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria will be included., Measurements: Patient age and sex, family and personal history of cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular risk factors. Height, weight, heart rate and abdominal circumference. Laboratory tests: hemoglobin, lipid profile, creatinine, microalbuminuria, glomerular filtration rate, blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, blood insulin, fibrinogen and high sensitivity C-reactive protein. Clinical and 24-hour ambulatory (home) blood pressure monitoring and self-measured blood pressure. Common carotid artery ultrasound for the determination of mean carotid intima-media thickness. Electrocardiogram for assessing left ventricular hypertrophy. Ankle-brachial index. Retinal vascular study based on funduscopy with non-mydriatic retinography and evaluation of pulse wave morphology and pulse wave velocity using the SphygmoCor system. The medication used for diabetes, arterial hypertension and hyperlipidemia will be registered, together with antiplatelet drugs., Discussion: The results of this study will help to know and quantify the prognostic value of central arterial pressure and pulse wave velocity in relation to the evolution of the subclinical target organ damage markers and the possible incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Frequently we found deficiencies in the management of cardiovascular risk factors on hypertensive patients in primary care., Objective: This study was to evaluate the effect of a quality improvement intervention in the care of cardiovascular risk factors in hypertensive patients., Methods: Quality assurance study. Two health centres with fourteen family doctors. One centre (seven doctors) was assigned to receive a quality improvement intervention while the other centre was assigned the control group. 482 hypertensive patients were in the study group (64% females, mean age 61,4 years (SD 6,8)), and 360 were in the control group (63% females, mean age 60,7 (SD 7,4)). Quality improvement circles consisting of audit, feedback, training sessions, and guidelines discussion. Process criteria of hypertension control, blood pressure, weight, lipids, smoking, cardiovascular risk and antihypertensive drugs used were measurement before intervention and again one year later., Results: The mean improvement in process criteria after the intervention was 5,3 percent points (CI95%:3,7-6,9). Systolic blood pressure was decreased by 3,5 mmHg(IC95%:1,6-5,3) and Diastolic blood pressure by 2,5 mmHg(IC95%:1,3-3,8). Adequate BP control was significantly increased in the intervention group (29,1% to 40,9%;p<0,01), while no effect was achieved in the control group. Absolute cardiovascular risk decreased (15,86 to14,34%, p<0.01) in the study group, with no changes in the control group. Absolute risk decreases 2,07(IC95%:1,21-2,93) and relative risk 0,25 (IC95%:0,14-0,35) percent points., Conclusion: The quality intervention was effective in improving the quality care process and decreased blood pressure and absolute and relative cardiovascular risk.