Phytosterol consumption and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis: Cross-sectional results from ELSA-Brasil.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Phytosterol (PS) consumption is associated with lower total and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c) concentrations, but its impact on cardiovascular risk is unclear. This study assessed the effect of usual intake of PS on markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). METHODS AND RESULTS: This cross-sectional study included 2560 participants of ELSA-Brasil, aged 48 (43-54) years, with available food frequency questionnaires (FFQ), coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores, carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), at baseline. Several logistic and linear regression models were used, and significance level was set at a P < 0.05. Mean values (SD) for PS consumption were 256 (198) mg/day, CAC 22.78 (110.54) Agatston Units, cf-PWV 9.07 (1.60) m/s and cIMT 0.57 (0.12) mm. PS consumption in Q4 was associated with lower total- and LDL-c levels, and with higher percentiles of cf-PWV (P < 0.001). Proportion of subjects in Q4 of PS consumption was 1.5 times higher among individuals in cf-PWV Q4, than in Q1 (P = 0.002, for comparisons among quartiles). There was a trend (P = 0.003) for higher cf-PWV with higher PS intake. In crude logistic and linear regressions, PS intake was associated with cf-PWV. In the adjusted models, these associations disappeared. No associations were found between PS and cIMT or CAC. CONCLUSIONS: In this large and apparently healthy cross-sectional sample from ELSA-Brasil, usual PS consumption was associated with lower total- and LDL-cholesterol, but not with markers of subclinical atherosclerosis.

Menopause Per se Is Associated with Coronary Artery Calcium Score: Results from the ELSA-Brasil.

Background: Menopause and aging deteriorate the metabolic profile, but little is known about how they independently contribute to structural changes in coronary arteries. We compared a broad cardiometabolic risk profile of women according to their menopausal status and investigated if menopause per se is associated with presence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) in the ELSA-Brasil. Materials and Methods: All participants, except perimenopausal women, who had menopause <40 years or from non-natural causes or reported use of hormone therapy were included. Sample was stratified according to menopause and age categories (premenopause ≤45 years, premenopause >45 years, and postmenopause); their clinical profile and computed tomography-determined CAC were compared using Kruskal-Wallis and chi squared test for frequencies. Associations of CAC (binary variable) with menopause categories adjusted for traditional and nontraditional covariables were tested using logistic regression. Results: From 2,047 participants 51 ± 9 years of age, 1,175 were premenopausal (702 ≤ 45 years) and 872 were postmenopausal women. Mean values of anthropometric variables, blood pressure, lipid and glucose parameters, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), and homeosthasis model assessment (HOMA-IR), as well as frequencies of morbidities, were more favorable in premenopausal, particularly in younger ones. In crude analyses, CAC >0 was associated with triglyceride-rich lipoprotein remnants, dense low-density lipoprotein, BCAA, and other variables, but not with HOMA-IR. Menopause was independently associated with CAC >0 (odds ratios 2.37 [95% confidence interval 1.17-4.81]) when compared to the younger premenopausal group. Conclusion: Associations of menopause with CAC, independent of traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors, suggest that hormonal decline per se may contribute to calcium deposition in coronary arteries.

Changes in lipoprotein subfractions following menopause in the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

INTRODUCTION: It is unclear how aging and menopause-induced lipid changes contribute to the elevated cardiovascular risk in menopausal women. We examined the association between lipid profiles and menopausal status and duration of menopause in the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). METHODS: This is a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from women in the ELSA-Brasil, stratified by duration of menopause into 5 groups: pre-menopause, <2 years, 2-5.9 years, 6-9.9 years and ≥10 years of menopause, excluding menopause <40 years or of non-natural cause; also excluded were women using lipid-lowering drugs or hormone replacement. Comparisons were performed using ANOVA with Bonferroni correction. Associations of menopause categories and time since menopause with lipid variables obtained by vertical auto-profile were tested using multiple linear regression. RESULTS: From 1916 women, postmenopausal groups had unadjusted higher total cholesterol, LDL-c, real LDL-c, IDL-c, VLDL-c, triglycerides, non-HDL-c, VLDL3-c, triglyceride-rich lipoprotein remnants (TRL-c) and buoyant LDL-c concentrations than pre-menopausal women, with no difference among postmenopausal groups. In multiple linear regression, duration of menopause <2 years was significantly associated with TRL-c [7.21 mg/dL (95% CI 3.59-10.84)] and VLDL3-c [2.43 mg/dL (95%CI 1.02-3.83)]. No associations of menopausal categories with HDL-c or LDL-c subfractions were found, and nor were associations of time since menopause with lipid subfractions. CONCLUSIONS: In a large sample of Brazilian women, deterioration of the lipid profile following menopause was confirmed, which could contribute to the increased cardiovascular risk. Our findings suggest a postmenopausal elevation in triglyceride-rich lipoprotein remnants. How lipoprotein subfractions change after the onset of menopause warrants investigation in studies with appropriate designs.