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BACKGROUND AND AIM: Cardiovascular disease progresses after menopause. Conventional risk factors, particularly diabetes, for atherosclerosis are well-established predictors of phenotypic arterial disease. The aim of this study is to assess the predictors of subclinical atherosclerosis in asymptomatic non-diabetic postmenopausal women.

METHODS: This prospective study included 117 consecutive postmenopausal women (mean age 59 ± 7 years) referred from the outpatient Rheumatology Clinic of the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, recruited between September 2021 and December 2022. Clinical, biochemical, carotid ultrasound and coronary CT angiography data were analysed. Subclinical atherosclerosis was diagnosed when plaque and/or carotid intima-media thickness >1.00 mm were present.

RESULTS: Women who had subclinical atherosclerosis had higher erythrocyte sedimentation (p = 0.022), higher total cholesterol (p = 0.013), higher CAC score (p = 0.017), and higher prevalence of CAC > 100 HU and CAC > 400 HU (p = 0.017 and p = 0.034, respectively) compared to those without subclinical atherosclerosis. Women who had mild coronary calcification (CAC score ≥10 HU) were older (p = 0.005), in longer menopause (p = 0.005), had thicker CIMT (p = 0.008) with higher prevalence (p = 0.03) compared to those with CAC score <10 HU. Women with moderate coronary calcification (CAC score ≥100 HU) had higher triglycerides, worse CIMT (p = 0.005) with higher prevalence (p = 0.039) compared to those with CAC score <100 HU. In multivariate analysis [odds ratio 95% confidence interval], age [1.101 (1.032-1.174), p = 0.037] and cholesterol [2.020 (1.225-3.331), p = 0.006] independently predicted the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis.

CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the impact of age, hypercholesterolaemia is an important predictor of subclinical atherosclerosis in non-diabetic postmenopausal women.