Association between carotid intima media thickness and measurements of adiposity among residents and interns of a tertiary hospital in the Philippines

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Atherosclerotic diseases wherein obesity is a risk factor was shown to be the leading causes of mortality according to statistics. Body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio (WHR) and waist circumference (WC), measurements of adiposity, were consistently identified as good measures of cardio-metabolic health risks. High-resolution B-mode ultrasound measurements of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) have also been used as a reliable and reproducible method to detect preclinical atherosclerosis, a precursor of cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate which of the measurements of adiposity would best correlate with early vascular changes primarily noted in the CIMT among non-high risk clinicians of Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center (VRPMC). METHODS: A total of 38 subjects out of 42 residents and interns of VRPMC volunteered to participate in the study from August to November 2010. They had no evidence of cardiac or vascular disease. The weight, height, WC, and hip circumference of each subject were measured. High-resolution B-mode ultrasonography of the right and left common carotid arteries was then performed.  RESULTS: A weak correlation between BMI with CMIT was found. There is no association between WC and WHR and thickness of CIMT. CONCLUSION: WC, BMI, and WHR are insignificantly associated with CIMT in this study.