Table 2.

Relation between hot flashes and carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and plaque among women reporting daily hot flashes

	Mean IMT	Max IMT	Plaque index
			1	≥2
	beta (standard error)§	beta (standard error)§	Odds ratio (confidence interval)‖	Odds ratio (confidence interval)‖
Physiologic Hot Flashes
24-hour	.003 (.001)†	.004 (.001)†	1.00 (.94–1.06)	1.06 (1.001–1.12)*
Wake	.004 (.001)‡	.005 (.001)‡	0.99 (.92–1.06)	1.07 (1.003–1.14)*
Sleep	.003 (.003)	.004 (.005)	0.96 (.77–1.21)	1.17 (.96–1.42)
Self-Reported Hot Flashes
24-hour	.006 (.002)†	.007 (.003)*	1.06 (.92–1.21)	1.06 (.93–1.21)
Wake	.008 (.002)†	.009 (.004)*	1.09 (.92–1.30)	1.12 (.95–1.32)
Sleep	.008 (.006)	.01 (.009)	.98 (.65–1.48)	1.00 (.70–1.42)

Covariates: age, race, body mass index, education, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, homeostatic model assessment, blood pressure-lowering medications, diabetes medications, and lipid-lowering medications

^*p<.05;

^†p<.01,

^‡p<.001

N=147; IMT measured in mm

^§beta coefficients indicate mm increase in IMT for each additional hot flash

^‖Odds ratio associated with each additional hot flash, relative to no plaque