Footnotes

• RL-M and FG contributed equally.

• MAG-G and JM shared senior authorship in this study.

• Contributors RL-M and FG performed the study, contributed to the elaboration of the protocol of study, helped in the interpretation of data and in the elaboration of the manuscript. AC and CG-J performed the carotid ultrasound studies. BU performed the PCR studies and helped in the interpretation of data. JL contributed to the elaboration of the protocol of study, helped in the interpretation of data and the elaboration of the manuscript and performed the statistical analysis. JAM-F, TP and RB recruited patients for the study, contributed to the elaboration of the protocol of study and helped in the interpretation of data. SC contributed to the elaboration of the protocol of study, helped in the interpretation of data and in the final drafting and elaboration of the manuscript. JM contributed to the elaboration of the protocol of study, helped in the interpretation of data and was responsible of the final drafting and elaboration of the manuscript. MAG-G recruited patients, contributed to the elaboration of the protocol of study, helped in the Interpretation of data and was responsible of the final drafting and elaboration of the manuscript.

• Funding European Union FEDER funds, FIS (PI06/0024, PS09/00748 and PI12/00060), RETICS Programs RD12/0009/0013 and RD12/0009/0004 and the European IMI BTCure Program. RL-M is a recipient of a Sara Borrell postdoctoral (CD12/00425). FG and BU are supported by funds from the RETICS Program.

• Competing interests None.

• Patient consent Obtained.

• Ethics approval Local institutional committee approval was obtained.

• Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.