Plasma Biomarkers of Dairy Intake and Gut Microbiome, and Their Association with Incident Carotid Plaque: a Prospective Cohort Study

This study aimed to investigate the prospective association of dairy biomarkers of odd-chain saturated fatty acids (OCFA) with incident carotid artery plaque (CAP) and to explore the potential role of gut microbiota and related metabolites in the above associations. In the Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study (GNHS, n = 1211; baseline mean age: 58.7 ± 6.1 years), we investigated the associations of baseline plasma phospholipid OCFAs with CAP incidence and gut microbiota (16S rRNA sequencing) over a median follow-up period of 6.2 years. Westlake Precision Birth Cohort was used to evaluate the potential associations between OCFA and the identified gut microbiota features in a younger population. Associations of OCFAs with CAP, gut microbial alpha diversity, specific genera, and related metabolites were examined using Cox proportional hazards models or linear regression models, with adjustments of potential confounders. The total OCFA was inversely associated with the incidence of CAP in the GNHS, with a hazard ratio of 0.63 (quartile 4 versus 1: 95