Prevention & lipidsCohort study
Prevalence of Silent Atherosclerosis across Adult Life
- Prospective cohort study
- Denmark and Spain
- five prespecified age strata
Authors' conclusion
This study of silent atherosclerosis showed that the disease was detectable in early adulthood, with age- and sex-associated increases in prevalence across arterial territories and marked increases in plaque volume.
Study context
- Population
- Adults 18 to 70 years without known atherosclerotic CVD, enrolled in five prespecified age strata with balanced numbers of women and men51.4% women
- Participants
- 16,808 adults
- Outcome
- Prevalence of silent atherosclerosis by 3D vascular ultrasonography (carotid and femoral arteries) and coronary CT angiography
- Follow-up
- Baseline
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Silent atherosclerosis
Prevalence of silent atherosclerosis
57.1% (95% CI 56.3 to 58.0)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Atherosclerosis in the youngest age stratum (18 to 29 years)
- Men
- 8.7%
- Women
- 6.7%
- Prevalence increased with age, with a later, steeper midlife rise among women
Distribution and plaque volume by age
- Younger strata: atherosclerosis mostly peripheral and confined to a single vascular territory
- With increasing age, plaque volume increased exponentially and multiarterial involvement became more frequent
Isolated coronary-artery atherosclerosis (uncommon in every age stratum)
- Men
- ≤9.3%
- Women
- ≤5.0%
Original publication
Prevalence of Silent Atherosclerosis across Adult Life. N Engl J Med. Published 29 August 2026. doi:10.1056/nejmoa2609059
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it