The more critical murderer of atherosclerosis than lipid metabolism: chronic stress.

BACKGROUND: The mortality of atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease is on the rise, and changes in intimal and media thickness are a leading cause of cerebral ischemia-related death. Levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), total cholesterol (TC), and chronic stress (CS) are all recognized risk factors for atherosclerosis (AS). However, the leading independent risk factor is indistinct. This study explored the effects of chronic stress, LDLC, and TC on AS and intimal and media thickness, preliminarily explored the main risk factor of AS, and analyzed the related histocyte mechanisms for macrophages and endothelial cells.

METHODS: Conditions include normal, high-fat diet (HF), and HF plus CS. The correlations between intimal and media thickness and general risk factors were analyzed using χ2, Spearman's rho test, and multiple linear regression. Univariate Cox regression was used to identify potential factors that affect the non-depression time (NDT). We performed a ROC curve to determine the ability of this condition to predict the thickness. Immunohistochemistry was implemented to detect macrophagocytes and endotheliocytes.

RESULTS: Based on χ2 and Spearman's rho test, LDLC, TC, and CS are all related with intimal and media thickness (P < 0.05). However, in multiple linear regression, CS is still a risk factor of thickness (P < 0.05) but LDLC and TC are not. High levels of LDLC, TC, and CS were correlated with poor NDT (P < 0.05). This condition can predict the thickness sensitively. The endarterium is richest in macrophagocytes, and the arrangement of endotheliocytes is disordered and cracked under CS.

CONCLUSION: CS is the main independent risk factor for AS and intimal (and media) thickness, rather than LDLC or TC.