Sleep quality correlates with the carotid intima-media thickness in stroke-free community-dwelling adults living in rural Ecuador. The Atahualpa Project

Background/Objectives: Evidence of an association between sleep disorders and extracranial atherosclerosis is limited and has not been studied in remote rural settings, where living conditions and cardiovascular risk factors are different than in urban centers. We assessed the relationship between the carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and sleep quality in stroke-free individuals aged ≥40 years living in rural Ecuador. Methods: Applying a population-based study design, participants underwent face-to-face interviews using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess sleep quality, and sonographic examinations for measurement of the carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). The association between the cIMT and sleep quality (as the dependent variable) was assessed by means of generalized linear models, adjusted for relevant confounders. Results: The mean age of 561 participants was 60.4 ± 12.6 years (58% women). The mean PSQI was 4.6 ± 2.2 points. Of those, 79 (14%) individuals had an increased cIMT (>1 mm). A model adjusted for demographics showed a significant association between increased cIMT and the PSQI score (β: 0.602; 95% C.I.: 0.027–1.177; p = 0.040). This relationship was reduced when cardiovascular risk factors were added to the model (β: 0.514; 95% C.I.: −0.072 – 1.101; p = 0.086). When the model was adjusted for demographics and psychological distress, the association between increased cIMT and the PSQI score became significant (β: 0.573; 95% C.I.: 0.013–1.133; p = 0.045). In addition, both symptoms of depression (p = 0.032) and anxiety (p < 0.001) remained independently significant. Conclusions: This study shows an association between increased cIMT and the PSQI score, which is, at least, partly mediated by manifestations of psychological distress.