Study on the relationship between blood pressure changes and new carotid artery plaque in middle-aged and elderly people

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of baseline blood pressure level of the Kailuan cohort study(2010) and blood pressure changes 2 years later(2012) on newly developed carotid artery plaque.

MethodsThe physical examination and carotid ultrasound in stroke cohort in Kailuan study were performed in 2010 and 2012, respectively.According to the changes of blood pressure during the two years, the 1445 participants were divided into the normal blood pressure group(group Ⅰ, n=284), normal blood pressure progressing to high-normal blood pressure group(group Ⅱ, n=184), high-normal blood pressure dropping to normal blood pressure group(group Ⅲ, n=138), stabilizing at the normal high blood pressure group(group Ⅳ, n=498) and normal blood pressure or high-normal blood pressure progressing to hypertension group(group Ⅴ, n=241).The relationship between the changes in blood pressure and new carotid artery plaque was analyzed.

ResultsThe detection rate of new carotid artery plaque in normal blood pressure population was higher than that in high normal blood pressure population(P < 0.01).The detection rates of new carotid artery plaque in the group Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ and Ⅴ were 18.9%, 14.3%, 17.1%, 24.2 and 26.4%, respectively.With the increasing of blood pressure level, the detection rate of new carotid artery plaque showed an increasing trend(P < 0.05).After adjusting the other risk factors, compared to the groupⅡ, the RR value(95%CI) of new carotid artery plaque in group Ⅳ and Ⅴ were 2.007(1.162 to 3.464) and 1.823(1.009 to 3.291), respectively.

ConclusionsAmong non-hypertension people, the detection rate of carotid artery plaque increases with the increasing of blood pressure.Compared with the normal blood pressure progressing to high-normal blood pressure people, the risk of atherosclerosis increases in blood pressure stabilizing at high-normal level people.