Adherencia a patrones alimentarios y aterosclerosis subclínica en personas adultas de la provincia de Córdoba

Abstract

Dietary patterns (DP) are a modifiable risk factor in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Objective: To evaluate the modulation of DP on carotid total plaque area (TPA) in adults in the province of Cordoba.

We conducted an observational study (n=94 patients, both sexes, RePIS N°3884) in the province of Cordoba, under the cardiovascular prevention program of Institucion Blossom 2019-2022. A validated food frequency questionnaire was performed. Based on what was reported, we calculated DP adherence scores previously identified in the adult population by the Group of Environmental Epidemiology and Other Chronic Diseases (GEACC-by acronyms in Spanish), DP-Prudent (high factorial load of fresh fruits and non-starchy vegetables), DP-Simil Mediterranean (high factorial load of non-starchy vegetables, fresh fruits, dried fruits, desiccated fruits, and olive oil), and DP-Traditional (high factorial load of egg, refined cereals, cold cuts, non-olive oils). TPA was determined through a high-resolution duplex ultrasound scanner and categorized into tertiles; adherence to DP: Prudent, Simil-Mediterranean and Prudent+Traditional, called Mixed; blood pressure. Descriptive analysis, multinomial, and gamma regression (95%CI) were conducted.

We observed greater adherence to DP-Mixed, with respect to DP-Simil-Mediterranean and DP-Prudent (47.9%, 32.9%, and 19.1%, respectively). The DPs were associated with the TPA tertiles (p=0.010), with a higher TPA burden in those adherents to DP-Mixed. The chances of presenting a greater TPA burden increased significantly with adherence to DP-Mixed compared to DP-Prudent (OR=1.50;p=0.076 and OR=3.3;p=0.018 for second and third TPA tertiles) adjusting for sex, age, systolic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, family history of cardiovascular event, smoking history, and presence of thyroid disease. DP-Simil-Mediterranean and DP-Prudent showed no difference in TPA (p=0.841 and p=0.137).

In preventing of subclinical atherosclerosis, the mere increase in foods characteristic of DP-Prudent and DP-Simil-Mediterranean (non-starchy vegetables, fresh fruits, dried fruits, desiccated fruits, and olive oil) is not sufficient, if adherence to a DP-Traditional is maintained.