Abstract P382: Association of Recurrent Common Infections and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in Mexican Women

Abstract

Introduction: Both acute and agent specific chronic infections have been associated with increased cardiovascular risk, however data on the burden of common recurrent infections and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is limited. Hypothesis: Women with greater exposure to uncomplicated common infectious events have an increased risk of subclinical CVD (sCVD) compared to women with no events. Methods: In a cross-sectional study we assessed the relationship of recurrent infections and carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) in 1,945 disease-free women from the Mexican Teachers’ Cohort. Through 2012-2016, participants answered questions on respiratory, urinary tract and vaginal infections during the previous year and IMT was measured using ultrasound by standardized neurologists and log-transformed. Total infectious episodes were categorized as “0”, “1 or 2” and “3 or more”. We defined sCVD as mean right and left IMT≥0.8mm or plaque. Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association of infectious events with IMT and sCVD adjusting for age, sociodemographic, and cardiovascular risk factors. Results: Among participants (50 ±5 years of age) 14% (278 of 1945) reported no infections, 41% (800 of 1945) 1 or 2 infections, and 45% (867 of 1945) 3 or more. Overall prevalence of sCVD was 12% (242 of 1945). Adjusted models for logistic regression showed that women with 3 or more infections had 80% higher odds of subclinical CVD (95% CI 1.1, 2.9) compared to women without infections (p-trend: 0.019). Sub-analyses by type of infection were not significantly associated with sCVD (Image 1). Linear regression analysis did not show a significant association between mean IMT and recurrent infections. Conclusion: Recurrent infectious events in women are associated with greater sCVD, which supports the hypothesis of low grade chronic inflammation in CVD.