Short Sleep Duration Is Associated With Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Among Men in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study

Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a subclinical marker of cardiovascular disease. Recent studies suggest that shorter sleep duration is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but there is limited evidence regarding this association using high-quality, objective assessments of sleep. The aim of this study is to determine whether sleep duration is associated with CIMT. The study used an observational cohort consisting of 617 black and white middle-aged healthy participants (37-52 years; 58% female) in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. Multivariable-adjusted linear regression analyses were performed. Sleep duration was measured using wrist actigraphy monitors. CIMT was calculated using the average of 20 measurements of the mean common carotid, bulb, and internal CIMT, which was assessed using ultrasound images. After adjusting for covariates, 1 hour of longer sleep duration was associated with 0.026 mm less CIMT among men (P=0.02; 95% CI, -0.047 to -0.005) and 0.001 mm less CIMT among women (P=0.91; 95% CI, -0.020 to 0.022). Segment-specific analyses indicated that the carotid bulb was a key driver of the observed association. Shorter objectively assessed sleep duration was associated with greater CIMT among men but not women.