Abstract
Background
Increasingly the potential harm from high cholesterol intake, and specifically from
egg yolks, is considered insignificant. We therefore assessed total plaque area (TPA)
in patients attending Canadian vascular prevention clinics to determine if the atherosclerosis
burden, as a marker of arterial damage, was related to egg intake. To provide perspective
on the magnitude of the effect, we also analysed the effect of smoking (pack-years).
Methods
Consecutive patients attending vascular prevention clinics at University Hospital
had baseline measurement of TPA by duplex ultrasound, and filled out questionnaires
regarding their lifestyle and medications, including pack-years of smoking, and the
number of egg yolks consumed per week times the number of years consumed (egg-yolk
years).
Results
Data were available in 1262 patients; mean (SD) age was 61.5 (14.8) years; 47% were
women. Carotid plaque area increased linearly with age after age 40, but increased
exponentially with pack-years of smoking and with egg-yolk years. Plaque area in patients
consuming <2 eggs per week (n = 388) was 125 ± 129 mm2, versus 132 ± 142 mm2 in those consuming 3 or more eggs per week (n = 603); (p < 0.0001 after adjustment for age). In multiple regression, egg-yolk years remained
significant after adjusting for coronary risk factors.
Interpretation
Our findings suggest that regular consumption of egg yolk should be avoided by persons
at risk of cardiovascular disease. This hypothesis should be tested in a prospective
study with more detailed information about diet, and other possible confounders such
as exercise and waist circumference.
Highlights
- Carotid total plaque area (TPA) increases linearly with age.
- TPA increases exponentially with smoking pack-years.
- TPA increases exponentially with egg-yolk years.
- The effect size of egg yolks appears to be approximately 2/3 that of smoking.
- Probably egg yolks should be avoided by persons at risk of vascular disease.
Keywords
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: August 10, 2012
Accepted:
July 18,
2012
Received in revised form:
July 17,
2012
Received:
February 11,
2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
ScienceDirect
Access this article on ScienceDirectLinked Article
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