Stein JH, Smith SS, Hansen KM, et al. - Researchers used two unique cohorts of smokers making a quit attempt, to quantify the impacts of smoking and smoking cessation on carotid artery atherosclerosis and wall thickness. In the primary analysis, a total of 726 smokers making a quit attempt in a randomized clinical trial with long-term observation were included. Overall 889 smokers making a quit attempt in a subsequent trial were analyzed in the secondary analysis. Alterations in carotid plaque score and intima media-thickness (IMT) were assessed as primary outcomes. A smoking burden score was computed that reflected the number of visits in which participants reported smoking following the quit attempt. Findings showed a correlation of smoking cessation with less progression of carotid plaque, but not IMT. Salutary links of smoking cessation with carotid plaque progression were shown to be associated with degree of abstinence.