Objective: To analyze the relation among aortic root dimension (ARD) measured by echocardiography, cardiovascular disease risk factors and cardiovascular disease in adult Beijing community population.
Methods: Echocardiography was performed in 1041 individuals in a suburban community of Beijing from 2004 to 2005. ARD and other echocardiographic parameters including left atria dimension, left ventricular mass, septal and posterior wall thickness and dimension were analyzed. Histories of cardiovascular disease as well as risk factors were obtained. Spearman correlation was used to determine the relation between ARD and other cardiovascular risk factors. Multifactorial logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of ARD and cardiovascular disease.
Results: Ascending aortic dimension (AAD) and mean root dimension (MRD) were positively associated with age, weight, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, left atria dimension, left ventricular mass, left ventricular septal and posterior wall thickness, and left ventricular dimension. With the lowest quintile of AAD and MRD as the reference, ORs for the highest quintile of AAD for specific cardiovascular diseases in female were as follows: stroke (OR = 2.20, 95%CI: 1.03 - 4.72, P = 0.04), chronic heart failure (OR = 2.62, 95%CI: 1.49 - 4.61, P = 0.001), total cardiovascular disease (OR = 2.52, 95%CI: 1.51 - 4.21, P < 0.001). ORs of MRD were as follows: chronic heart failure (OR = 2.19, 95%CI: 1.26 - 3.80, P = 0.01), total cardiovascular disease (OR = 2.20, 95%CI: 1.32 - 3.68, P = 0.002). After adjustment for age, BMI, smoking status, TC, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, the ORs were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: ARD was positively associated with several CHD risk factors, but was not independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. ARD may act as an intermediate risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Combined ARD and traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors might enhance the predict power for cardiovascular disease.