Interrelationship between non-invasive measurements of atherosclerosis: flow-mediated dilation of brachial artery, carotid intima-media thickness and pulse wave velocity

Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) have been shown to be good surrogate markers of clinical atherosclerosis. We determined the interrelation between these measurements, and examined whether their combination would be of clinical significance. One hundred and thirty-five consecutive subjects (79 women/56 men) were enrolled, including 110 patients with risk factors for atherosclerosis, and 33 patients with atherosclerotic disease such as coronary heart disease, stroke or arteriosclerosis obliterans. IMT and plaque formation of the carotid artery and FMD of the brachial artery were assessed using ultrasonography. Brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV) was measured using an automated device (form ABI/PWV, Colin). Age, FMD, IMT and PWV were significantly correlated with each other. Multivariate analysis revealed an independent correlation between the parameters except for FMD, and all four parameters were independently correlated with each other in subjects <70 years. Next, we classified the subjects by tertile according to the values of FMD, IMT and PWV. Each of the worst tertiles was associated with a higher prevalence of atherosclerotic disease and carotid plaques compared to the other tertiles. Moreover, subjects with the worst tertiles of all three measurements had a markedly higher prevalence of atherosclerotic disease and carotid plaques. These results suggest that FMD, IMT and PWV are related to each other, but the combination of these measurements will be of stronger clinical relevance.     

Relationship between carotid artery intima-media thickness and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation in middle-aged healthy men

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in healthy middle-age men. BACKGROUND: Carotid IMT and brachial artery FMD are frequently used as surrogate measures of subclinical atherosclerosis. Whereas carotid IMT identifies early structural abnormalities, brachial artery FMD, considered a bioassay of endothelial function, measures functional vascular integrity. The relationship between carotid IMT and brachial artery FMD has not been well studied. METHODS: We measured traditional risk factors, carotid IMT, and brachial artery FMD in 1,578 middle-aged men without known cardiovascular disease and analyzed the relationship between carotid IMT and brachial FMD. RESULTS: Carotid IMT correlated with age, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, fasting glucose, total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and with the overall Framingham risk score (p < 0.001 for all), whereas impaired brachial artery FMD correlated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.01). No relationship was observed between carotid IMT and brachial artery FMD for the entire cohort (r = -0.006, p = 0.82) and in subgroups defined by traditional risk factors or by quintiles of carotid IMT and brachial FMD. CONCLUSIONS: In middle-aged healthy men, there is no significant correlation between carotid IMT and brachial artery FMD. This finding suggests that these are unique, independent surrogates that measure different aspects and stages of early atherosclerosis. Further studies are needed to define their role in clinical research and in cardiovascular risk assessment.     

老年人脉搏波速度与颈动脉内膜厚度的相关性

目的 分析老年人臂踝脉搏波速度(baPWV)与颈动脉内膜-中层厚度(IMT)的相关性.方法 选择年龄60～89岁、平均(71±6)岁人员为研究对象,共纳入450例,其中男性234例,女性216例.所有受检对象均签署知情同意书,进行baPWV、IMT、身高、体质量、腰围、血压、心率等一般指标的检测.分析baPwV与颈动脉...     

颈动脉内中膜厚度与脉搏波传导速度及踝臂指数的相关性研究

目的:前瞻性研究颈动脉内中膜厚度(IMT)与脉搏波传导速度(PWV)及臂踝血压指数(ABI)的相关性。方法:在115例(女61)人群资料中用超声测量颈IMT,用日本科林动脉硬化测定仪测量臂踝PWV和臂踝ABI,同时测定血TC、TG、HDL、LDL、空腹血糖(FBG)、血尿酸(UA)、体质指数(BMI)等,作均数比较、t检验,IMT与各因素的简单相关分析、多元线性回归分析(进入法和逐步法)。结果:115例受检者颈IMT平均值为:(0.64±0.11)mm,男性颈动脉IMT明显高于女性,年龄≥50岁组的颈动脉IMT明显高于年龄<50岁组的,收缩压≥140mmHg(1mmHg=0.133kPa)组的颈动脉IMT明显高于收缩压<140mmHg组的,有高血压病史组的颈动脉IMT明显高于无高血压病史组的。颈动脉IMT主要与年龄、臂踝PWV、收缩压、ABI等正相关,相关系数分别达0.625、0.460、0.412、0.361。多元回归分析,对颈动脉IMT有独立影响的因素是年龄、SBP。结论:颈动脉IMT与臂踝PWV、ABI高度正相关,在临床工作中可根据各自条件选择一种检查方法用于血管早期病变的检测。     

Relationship of carotid intima-media thickness, pulse wave velocity, and ankle brachial index to the severity of coronary artery atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND: Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and the ankle brachial index (ABI) are widely used noninvasive modalities for evaluating atherosclerosis. HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of carotid IMT, PWV, and ABI with the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD), expressed as the Gensini score, and the presence of coronary risk factors. METHODS: We examined 205 consecutive patients (mean age 65 +/- 12 years) who were clinically suspected of having CAD and were scheduled to undergo coronary angiography. Carotid intima-media thickness, brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV), and ABI were measured in all subjects before they underwent coronary angiography. RESULTS: Of the 205 patients, 124 patients were diagnosed as having CAD based on the presence of >50% stenosis in a major coronary artery; the remaining 81 patients did not have CAD. A relatively good correlation was obtained between carotid IMT and the Gensini score (R = 0.411, p < 0.0001), whereas baPWV correlated only weakly with the Gensini score (R = 0.203, p = 0.0035), and ABI did not correlate with it. A multiple regression analysis revealed that the Gensini score correlated significantly and independently with age, male gender, and carotid IMT. CONCLUSIONS: Of the three noninvasive methods, carotid IMT may be more useful for determining coronary artery atherosclerosis than baPWV or ABI.     

Correlation between flow-mediated vasodilatation of the brachial artery and intima-media thickness in the carotid artery in men

Endothelial dysfunction has been reported to be the initial step in atherosclerosis. A noninvasive technique that uses ultrasound to measure the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery has been applied to evaluate localized atherosclerosis. This study was undertaken to elucidate whether endothelial dysfunction in the brachial artery is related to the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery. Thirty-four men with atherosclerosis (mean+/-SE age 61+/-2 years) and 33 age-matched men without clinical atherosclerosis were examined. The intima-media thickness and plaque formation of the common carotid artery were assessed by B-mode ultrasonography. We also noninvasively measured brachial artery diameter by the same ultrasound machine when the subjects were at rest, during reactive hyperemia, which causes endothelium-dependent vasodilatation, and after sublingual administration of nitroglycerin, which causes endothelium-independent vasodilatation. The atherosclerosis group had a significantly greater intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery than did the control group (1. 02+/-0.04 versus 0.91+/-0.03 mm, P<0.05). The flow-mediated diameter (FMD) increase (percent FMD=DeltaD/D x 100) in the atherosclerosis group was significantly smaller than that in the control group (2. 8+/-0.4% versus 5.1+/-0.6%, P<0.01). A significant negative correlation between the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery and percent FMD was found in all of the subjects. On multiple regression analysis, percent FMD showed a significant negative correlation with the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery. These findings support the concept that endothelial dysfunction is significantly related to atherogenesis.     

Apolipoprotein B is related to arterial pulse wave velocity in young adults: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

ObjectiveLimited data are available regarding the relationship of apolipoproteins B (ApoB) and A-1 (ApoA-1) with arterial stiffness. We conducted the present study to determine whether adulthood ApoB and ApoA-1 are related to arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV). Moreover, we examined whether ApoB and ApoA-1 measured in young adulthood are predictive of PWV assessed 6 years later.MethodsThe study population consisted of 1618 apparently healthy Finnish young adults (aged 30–45 years, 44.9% males) whose apolipoproteins, other cardiovascular risk factors and PWV were measured in 2007. In a sub-sample population, apolipoproteins and other cardiovascular risk factors had also been measured in 2001 (n = 1264). PWV measurements were performed using a whole-body impedance cardiography device.ResultsApoB (p < 0.001) and the ApoB/ApoA-1 ratio (p < 0.001) were directly associated with PWV. ApoB and the ApoB/ApoA-1 ratio measured in young adulthood were also predictive of PWV measured 6 later (p < 0.001 for both). These relations remained significant (p < 0.006) in models adjusted for non-lipid risk factors. The areas under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC) were similar for ApoB and non-HDL cholesterol (2001: p for AUC comparison = 0.15; 2007: p for AUC comparison = 0.07) in detecting subjects with increased PWV (PWV ≥ 90th percentile).ConclusionThe present study suggests that elevation of ApoB or non-HDL cholesterol is associated with increased arterial stiffness in young adults.     

Microalbuminuria, pulse wave velocity and common carotid artery intima-media thickness in type 2 diabetes

The aim of the study was to evaluate pulse wave velocity (PWV) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in type 2 diabetics with microalbuminuria (mualb). The study concerned 37 patients type 2 diabetics, age: 53.4 +/- 6.6, years free of cardiovascular complications. HbA1C was 7.73 +/- 1.39%, waist circumference 104.2 +/- 11.7 cm. 19 patients with BP > 130/85 mmHg were identified as mild hypertensives (17/19 under treatment). All patients underwent ABPM, PWV and IMT measurements. The study population was separated into 2 subgroups according to median of mualb (mg/24 h): 18.9. [table: see text] In patients with mualb > 18.9 mg/24, IMT and PWV were significantly increased (p = 0.06; p < 0.01). After adjustment to BP and age, there was no significant difference in IMT and PWV in the subgroups. In this selected population of type 2 diabetics, microalbuminuria appears associated to a pressure-dependant vascular remodeling.     

The predictive value of flow-mediated dilation and carotid artery intima-media thickness for occult coronary artery disease

Background: Multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) is an attractive noninvasive alternative to assess overall coronary artery disease (CAD) burden and may reveal coronary plaques, which may be underestimated by conventional coronary angiography. The aim of this study was to determine whether brachial artery flow‐mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid artery intima‐media thickness (CIMT) might accurately predict patients with occult coronary plaques whose conventional coronary angiographies revealed normal coronary arteries (NCA). Methods: Thirty‐five patients with angiographically NCA were consecutively recruited into the study. They underwent MDCT and were divided into NCA group (18 patients; 8 male; 47 ± 9 years) and occult CAD group (17 patients; 11 male; 50 ± 10 years) according to presence of coronary plaque. Nineteen consecutive patients with evident CAD (16 male; 54 ± 7 years) and 19 healthy subjects (10 male; 50 ± 6 years) were included as control groups. FMD and CIMT were measured by brachial and carotid artery ultrasonography. Results: Occult CAD group had significantly lower FMD and insignificantly higher CIMT than NCA group whereas they had significantly higher FMD and insignificantly lower CIMT than evident CAD group. NCA group had significantly lower CIMT than evident CAD group. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated FMD < 8% (sensitivity: 94.4%; specificity: 73.0%; PPV: 77.3%; NPV: 93.1%) and CIMT ≥ 0.65 cm (sensitivity: 72.2%; specificity: 62.2%; PPV: 65.0%; NPV: 69.7%) could predict patients with CAD. FMD and CIMT were independent predictors of CAD (P < 0.001; OR: 45.630; 95%CI: 5.38–386.983 and P = 0.015; OR: 14.226; 95%CI: 1.666–121.467, respectively). Conclusion: FMD and CIMT might predict patients with occult CAD and be helpful in selecting patients for MDCT. (Echocardiography 2011;28:1141‐1147)     

微量白蛋白尿与2型糖尿病患者臂踝脉搏波传播速度和颈动脉内中膜厚度的关系

2型糖尿病微量白蛋白尿者（MAU）42例,正常白蛋白尿者118例。MAU组年龄较大,血压、臂踝脉搏波传播速度（baPWV）和颈动脉内中膜厚度（IMT）均较高（P均〈0.05）,MAU正相关于baPWV和IMT（r分别为0.58、0.56）,校正相关参数后多因素分析显示,仅MAU与baPWV和IMT独立相关。MAU与2型糖尿病的动脉粥样硬化相关。