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BACKGROUND: Knowledge on the prevalence and correlates of intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is limited. We aimed to assess prevalence, clinical and neuroimaging correlates of ICAD in a cohort of older adults of Amerindian ancestry. METHODS: The study included 581 community-dwellers aged ≥60 years (mean age 71 ± 8.4 years; 57% women) living in rural Ecuadorian villages. ICAD was identified by means of CT determinations of carotid siphon calcifications (CSC) or MRA findings of significant stenosis of intracranial arteries. Fully-adjusted logistic regression models were fitted with biomarkers of ICAD as the dependent variables. RESULTS: A total of 205 (35%) of 581 participants had ICAD, including 185 with high calcium content in the carotid siphons and 40 with significant stenosis of at least one intracranial artery (20 subjects had both biomarkers). Increasing age, high fasting blood glucose, >10 enlarged basal ganglia-perivascular spaces and non-lacunar strokes were associated with high calcium content in the carotid siphons. In contrast, male gender, moderate-to-severe white matter hyperintensities, lacunar and non-lacunar strokes were associated with significant stenosis of intracranial arteries. Stroke was more common among subjects with any biomarker of ICAD than in those with no biomarkers (29% versus 9%, p < 0.001). Significant stenosis of intracranial arteries was more often associated with stroke than high calcium content in the carotid siphons, suggesting that CSC are more likely an ICAD biomarker than causally related to stroke. CONCLUSIONS: ICAD prevalence in Amerindians is high, and is significantly associated with stroke. CSC and significant stenosis of intracranial arteries may represent different phenotypes of ICAD.

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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The importance of the obesity paradox in the intracranial vasculature has not been explored. We assessed whether the body mass index (BMI) correlates with severity of carotid siphon calcifications (CSC) in community-dwelling adults. METHODS: Using a population-based study design, Atahualpa residents aged ≥40 years underwent head computed tomography (CT) for assessment of CSC. We evaluated the association between BMI and severity of CSC (dependent variable) using regression models adjusted for demographics and cardiovascular risk factors. RESULTS: Of 830 people enrolled in the Atahualpa Project, 651 (78%) were included. Mean BMI was 27.3 ± 5 kg/m2, with 39% being overweight and 27% obese. CT revealed high calcium content in the carotid siphon in 25% participants. In an adjusted model, individuals with normal weight had a trend for presenting with more severe CSC than those overweight (p = 0.06), and those ones had significantly more severe CSC than obese participants (p = 0.04). Predictive margins of BMI were higher in individuals with low calcium content in the carotid siphon. A contour plot with Shepard interpolation showed that the paradox disappeared in older individuals and in those with severe obesity, irrespective of age. CONCLUSIONS: BMI inversely associates with severity of CSC. This paradox is relevant in younger individuals and in those without severe obesity, irrespective of age.

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JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A aterosclerose é um processo sistêmico; entretanto, não há estudos que tenham correlacionado aterosclerose no cérebro, coração e rins. O objetivo deste estudo foi estabelecer uma correlação utilizável na clínica da aterosclerose destes três órgãos. MÉTODO: Cinquenta cadáveres humanos foram dissecados (62% homens, idade média: 58,8 anos) para se obterem as artérias de seus respectivos órgãos. Todas as artérias foram cortadas em três segmentos (proximal, médio e distal), que foram comparados. Estes segmentos estabeleceram médias para a comparação de artérias entre si; e os dados de todas as artérias de um órgão formaram médias para comparação dos órgãos. RESULTADOS: Em média, a aterosclerose é 2,16 vezes mais grave no coração do que no cérebro e 1,77 vezes mais grave que nos rins. Os rins apresentam estenoses 1,38 vezes mais graves que o cérebro. Estenose clinicamente significante nos rins apresenta boa correlação com doença multiarterial cardíaca. As artérias de cada órgão que apresentam melhor correlação são: artéria circunflexa e cerebral posterior direita, artéria descendente posterior e artéria renal esquerda. Não há boa correlação entre artérias específicas do cérebro e rins. CONCLUSÃO: Existe boa correlação na distribuição da aterosclerose entre o coração e os rins e o coração e o cérebro. Assim,o grau de estenose aterosclerótica de um destes órgãos pode ser inferido a partir do grau de outro.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Atherosclerosis is a systemic process; therefore, there are no studies that correlate atherosclerosis in the brain, heart and kidneys. The objective of this study was to establish a useful correlation of atherosclerosis in these organs that can be used in clinical practice. METHOD: Fifty human cadavers were dissected (males: 62%; mean age: 58.8 years) in order to obtain these organs' arteries. All the arteries were cut in three segments (proximal, medial and distal) and these were then compared. These segments established averages for the comparison of the arteries, and data from all the arteries from an organ formed averages for organ comparison. RESULTS: In average, atherosclerotic stenosis in the heart is 2.16 times more severe than in the brain, and 1.77 times more severe than in the kidneys, whereas kidneys develop stenoses that are 1.38 times more severe than in the brain. Clinically significant stenosis in the kidneys presents a good correlation with multiarterial cardiac disease. The arteries from each organ which are best correlated are: circumflex artery when compared to right posterior cerebral artery, and posterior interventricular artery when compared to left renal artery. No artery from the brain or kidney has a good correlation among each other. CONCLUSION: There is a good correlation in the distribution of atherosclerosis in the heart and kidney and in the heart and brain. Therefore, the degree of atherosclerotic stenosis of an artery from one of these organs can be inferred based on that of another.

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