Association between albuminuria, atherosclerotic plaques, elevated pulse wave velocity, age, risk category and prognosis in apparently healthy individuals

METHOD:Two thousand and fifty-nine healthy individuals aged 41, 51, 61 and 71 years examined in 1993, were divided in age, SCORE and Framingham risk score (FRS) groups. Subclinical vascular damage (SVD) was defined as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) at least 12 m/s, carotid atherosclerotic plaques or albuminuria defined as urine albumin/creatinine ratio at least 90th percentile of 0.73/1.06 mg/mmol men/women. In 2006, the composite endpoint (CEP) of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke and hospitalization for ischemic heart disease was recorded (n = 229). RESULTS:With increasing age, SCORE or FRS risk group, prevalence of cfPWV at least 12 m/s (5.2, 14.5, 35.3, 53.5% or 4.4, 15.6, 50.9, 66.1% or 4.0, 9.5, 32.1, 56.1%), atherosclerotic plaque (4.0, 19.0, 35.3, 53.5% or 3.5, 16.8, 43.7, 55.9%, or 6.6, 7.6, 9.8, 20.0%) and albuminuria (7.9, 8.7, 11.4, 20.6% or 7.9, 8.2, 16.6, 19.5% or 6.6, 7.6, 9.8, 20.0%) increased, all P