Background: Population-based data on sex-specific cardiovascular risk profiles and mortality risks according to location of arteriosclerosis remain scarce. 
Objectives: To study sex-specific cardiovascular risk profiles and mortality risks associated with arteriosclerosis at multiple sites. 
Methods: From the population-based Rotterdam Study, 2,357 participants (mean age 69 years, 53% women) underwent non-contrast computed tomography to quantify calcification, as proxy of arteriosclerosis, in the coronary arteries (CAC), aortic arch (AAC), extracranial- (ECAC) and intracranial carotid arteries (ICAC), vertebrobasilar arteries (VBAC), and aortic valve (AVC). Principal component analysis (PCA) of eight distinct cardiovascular risk factors was performed to derive risk profiles based on high shared variance of cardiovascular risk factors. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine sex-stratified associations between the PCA-derived risk profiles and severe calcification at different locations. We investigated sex-stratified associations of calcification with mortality using multivariable Cox regression. 
Results: PCA identified three cardiovascular risk profiles: 1) anthropometry, glucose and HDL-cholesterol; 2) blood pressure; and 3) smoking, and total cholesterol. In women, profile 2 was most strongly associated with severe ECAC (OR [95%-CI]: 1.32 [1.13-1.54]). Profile 3 in women was associated with calcification at all locations, except AVC. In men, profile 1 was most strongly associated with severe AAC (1.18 [1.01-1.38]), profile 2 with VBAC (1.28 [1.10-1.50]), and profile 3 with AVC (1.30 [1.12-1.50]). AVC in women and CAC in men showed the strongest associations with cardiovascular mortality (HR [95%-CI]: 2.14 [1.26-3.62], 2.52 [1.42-4.47], respectively). 
Conclusions: Our findings further establish the existence of profound sex- and location-specific differences in the etiology of arteriosclerosis and its associated mortality risk.

01 - CARDIOVASCULAR RISK PROFILES FOR ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN DIFFERENT VESSELS AMONG WOMEN AND MEN: A POPULATION-BASED COHORT STUDY