Association of fatty pancreas and subclinical atherosclerosis: A cross-sectional analysis

Abstract Background: To date, no correlation between fatty pancreas and carotid plaque has been reported. Therefore, this study used a large medical examination cohort from Yangzhou to investigate the association between fatty pancreas and subclinical atherosclerosis. Methods: Clinical data were collected between January 2018 and December 2021 from a population undergoing health check-ups at the Health Management Centre of the Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University. Carotid vascular ultrasound findings were used to divide the participants into carotid plaque and non-carotid plaque groups on the basis of independent risk factors for carotid plaque. Results: A total of 6976 cases in the carotid plaque group and 17 069 cases in the non-carotid plaque group were included in this study. Logistic regression model analysis of carotid plaque showed that men (odds ratio [OR] = 1.479, P < 0.001), age (OR = 1.110, P < 0.001), body mass index (OR = 1.005, P < 0.001), history of smoking (OR = 1.446, P < 0.001), history of alcohol consumption (OR = 1.160, P < 0.001), hypertension (OR = 3.296, P < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (OR = 4.077, P < 0.001), fatty pancreas (OR = 1.490, P < 0.001), hypercholesterolaemia (OR = 1.175, P < 0.001), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol atheroma (OR = 1.174, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for carotid plaque. Subgroup analysis indicated that fatty pancreas was an independent risk factor for carotid plaque in participants without these complications compared with participants with a history of hypertension or diabetes. Conclusion: Fatty pancreas is an independent risk factor for carotid plaque and has a greater impact in individuals without a history of hypertension or diabetes than in those with.