颈动脉超声在诊断冠心病合并2型糖尿病中的应用价值

目的探讨颈动脉超声在冠心病合并2型糖尿病中的应用价值。方法将研究对象分为合并2型糖尿病和不合并2型糖尿病的冠心病组，超声观察颈动脉血流参数、内中膜厚度（IMT）及斑块指数（PI），并与冠状动脉造影结果对照。结果与单纯冠心病患者相比，合并2型糖尿病的冠心病患者颈动脉内径和血管阻力指数均增加（P〈0.05），IMT及PI随冠状动脉造影病变程度的增加而显著增加（P〈0．05）。结论颈动脉超声可以间接判断冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者冠状动脉血管病变的严重程度，可作为诊断合并2型糖尿病的冠心病的一项辅助检查方法。     

Role of carotid intima-media thickness in assessment of atherosclerosis: an autopsy study

BACKGROUND: The non-invasive technique of measuring carotid artery intima-media thickness has generated considerable interest as a marker of atherosclerosis, particularly in predicting clinical coronary events and coronary artery disease. In the present study, a postmortem comparative analysis of intima-media thickness of carotid artery with coronary artery atherosclerosis has been carried out. To date no such morphological tissue studies are available from our country. METHODS AND RESULTS: Right and left common carotid arteries with their branches were removed at postmortem in 40 cases with history of diabetes, hypertension or both. Intima-media thickness was measured and compared with coronary artery atherosclerosis. There were 10 control postmortem cases without history of diabetes or hypertension. Common carotid artery and internal carotid artery intima-media thickness were found to be good predictors of coronary events. There was also significant correlation (by Pearson's correlation formula) between the carotid artery intima-media thickness and the percentage of block in the coronary arteries. CONCLUSIONS: Internal carotid artery along with common carotid artery intima-media thickness measurement is a good predictor of coronary artery disease. However, carotid artery intima-media thickness has no bearing on the status of collateral circulation of the coronary arteries.     

Carotid intima-media thickness and coronary artery disease: an Indian perspective

To determine whether carotid intima-media thickness is associated with coronary artery disease and cardiovascular risk factors in the Indian population, carotid intima-media thickness was measured using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography in 101 patients with coronary artery disease and 140 control subjects. Carotid intima-media thickness was measured at 3 predefined sites on each side. The maximum carotid intima-media thickness was significantly higher in the coronary disease group compared to the controls (1.02 vs. 0.80 mm). The average intima-media thickness was also significantly higher in the coronary disease group (0.82 vs. 0.67 mm). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, carotid intima-media thickness was the only factor found to be an independent predictor of coronary artery disease. There was a significant association between risk factor count and the average and maximum intima-media thickness values in the combined study population. These results indicate that raised values of average and maximum carotid intima-media thickness are significantly associated with the presence of coronary artery disease and this association is independent of the presence of other conventional cardiovascular risk factors.     

Carotid intima-media thickness and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in patients with and without coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND: Carotid intima-media thickness and pulse wave velocity are non-invasive markers of atherosclerosis and have been shown to reliably predict presence and extent of atherosclerotic vascular disease. However, studies examining their association with each other have shown inconsistent results. Hence it was sought to assess correlation between carotid intima-media thickness and pulse wave velocity in patients with and without coronary artery disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixty-four patients with angiographically proven coronary artery disease and 84 age-matched individuals without coronary artery disease but having one or more conventional cardiovascular risk factors were included in the study. Individuals with established cerebrovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease were excluded from the study. Carotid intima-media thickness of far wall was measured at three predefined sites (distal common carotid, carotid bifurcation and proximal internal carotid artery) on each side. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was measured non-invasively using VP 1000 (Colin Corporation) automated ABI/ PWV analyzer. There was no significant difference in gender and presence of cardiovascular risk factors in the two groups. Mean and maximum carotid intima-media thickness and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity were all significantly higher in coronary artery disease patients as compared to patients without coronary artery disease (0.842 v. ( 0.657 mm, p <0.0001; 1.076 v. 0.795 mm, p <0.0001; 1708.63 v. 1547.26 cm/s, p <0.0004 respectively). There was a significant correlation between brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and both mean and maximum carotid intima-media thickness in patients with coronary artery disease (r = 0.47, p <0.0001 and r=0.41, p < 0.0008 respectively) but not in individuals without coronary artery disease (r=0.01 and -0.1 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Presence of significant correlation between carotid intima-media thickness and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in patients with coronary artery disease but absence of the same in individuals without major atherosclerotic vascular disease suggests that the correlation between carotid intima-media thickness and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity becomes stronger with increasing extent of atherosclerosis.     

Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Brachial Artery Flow-Mediated Dilatation in Patients with and without Metabolic Syndrome

BACKGROUND, Metabolic syndrome has recently emerged as a marker of future cardiovascular risk. However its incremental value for this purpose, over conventional cardiovascular risk factors and diabetes mellitus in particular, is debated. The present study was conducted to determine the extent of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with metabolic syndrome, and compare it with the same in individuals with cardiovascular risk factors not having metabolic syndrome. METHODS, A total of 156 individuals seeking outpatient cardiac consultation for various indications were included in the study and were divided into four groups - group 1: cardiovascular risk factors present but not metabolic syndrome (n = 60) : group 2 : metabolic syndrome without diabetes mellitus or coronary artery disease (n = 21) ;group 3: metabolic syndrome with diabetes mellitus without coronary artery disease ( n = 27) ;and group 4:patients with documented coronary artery disease (n = 48). Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed on the basis of Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII) criteria. All patients underwent assessment of carotid intima-media thickness and brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilatation. RESULTS, Both carotid intima-media thickness and brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilatation were similar in groups 1 and 2 (carotid intima-media thickness: 0.687 -/+ 0.13mm and 0.706 -/+0.23mm, p = 0.963; brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilatation: 11.80 -/+ 5.16% and 12.87 -/+ 7.04%, respectively, p =0.883) , but group 3 patients had significantly higher carotid intima-media thickness (0.774 +/- 0.15mm, p = 0.047) and significantly lower brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilatation (7.37 -/+ 6.12%, p -/+ 0.007) as compared to group 1 patients. There was no significant difference in the two parameters between groups 3 and 4 (carotid intima-media thickness in group 4:0.789 -/+ 0.16mm,p = 0.976 and brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilatation:5.86 -/+ 3.85%, p -/+ 0.709). CONCLUSIONS, In absence of diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome was not associated with greater extent of subclinical atherosclerosis compared to individual cardiovascular risk factors. Presence of diabetes mellitus, however, resulted in significant endothelial dysfunction and evidence of subclinical atherosclerosis, similar to that seen in patients with already established coronary artery disease.     

Decreased carotid intima-media thickness in patients with coronary artery ectasia compared with patients with coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND: Although atherosclerosis is supposed to be responsible for more than 50% of coronary artery ectasia, the precise pathology of coronary artery ectasia is not clearly understood. A histopathological examination of ectatic segments has revealed mainly destruction of the media layer of the artery. In the present study, we assessed carotid intima-media thickness and common carotid artery diameter in patients with and without coronary artery ectasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five consecutive patients with coronary artery ectasia and coronary artery disease and 35 age and sex-matched patients with coronary artery disease alone were included in the study. The common carotid artery was studied as the longitudinal plane within 10 mm from the bifurcation of the common carotid artery. The intima-media thickness was measured in the far wall at end-diastole from the B-mode screen to a point within the 10-mm segment proximal to the bifurcation by one investigator blinded to clinical data. RESULTS: No significant differences with respect to age, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia and smoking habits were observed between the two groups studied. Intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery of the patients with coronary artery ectasia was significantly lower than that of the patients with coronary artery disease alone (0.71 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.77 +/- 0.09 mm, respectively, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Decreased intima-media thickness of the carotid artery in patients with coronary artery ectasia and coronary artery disease may have pathogenic mechanisms different from coronary artery disease per se.     

糖尿病合并冠心病患者冠状动脉病变与颈动脉超声的关系

目的探讨合并糖尿病的冠心病患者冠状动脉病变与颈动脉病变的关系,分析与冠状动脉病变程度相关的危险因素。方法经冠状动脉造影检查确诊冠心病患者160例,其中76例合并2型糖尿病（糖尿病组）,84例未合并糖尿病（非糖尿病组）,对2组冠状动脉病变及颈动脉超声情况进行对比分析。同时测量收缩压（SBP）、舒张压（DBP）、身高、体质量,计算体质指数,检测空腹血糖、血浆总胆固醇（TC）、三酰甘油（TG）、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL-C）等,记录糖尿病病程,分析冠心病合并糖尿病危险因素。结果糖尿病组体质指数、TG均明显高于对照组。HDL-C明显低于对照组（P〈0．05）;糖尿病组冠脉3支病变、弥漫性病变、闭塞性病变比例高,颈动脉内斑块增加（P〈0．05）。结论冠心病合并糖尿病患者冠状动脉病变较不合并糖尿病患者严重,颈动脉斑块增加,颈动脉与冠状动脉硬化程度有明显的相关性。低HDL-C、收缩压、舒张压、高TG、糖尿病病程、年龄是2型糖尿病合并冠心病冠状动脉病变程度的危险因素。     

老年患者代谢综合征不同组合成份与颈动脉内膜的关系

目的探讨老年患者代谢综合征不同组合成份与颈动脉内膜中层厚度的关系。方法选择老年代谢综合征患者79例、年龄60岁以上,按组成成份不同分为老年伴糖尿病组41例,老年非糖尿病组38例,同时选年龄<60岁年轻伴糖尿病组37例。用彩色多普勒超声心动图仪检测颈动脉内膜中层厚度。结果老年伴糖尿病组与老年非糖尿病组颈动脉内膜中层厚度均较年轻伴糖尿病组明显增厚,二者之间有统计学意义(P<0.01),而老年伴糖尿病组又较老年非糖尿病组增厚明显,二组统计有显著意义(P<0.05)。相关分析显示颈动脉内膜-中膜厚度与年龄(r=0.300,P<0.01)、高血压病程(r=0.255,P<0.01)呈显著正相关,斑块发生率以老年伴糖尿病组最高(73.2%),其次为老年非糖尿病组(50%),年轻伴糖尿病组最少(21.6%)三组差异有显著性(P<0.05和0.01)。结论合并糖尿病的代谢综合征患者颈动脉内膜中层厚度较非糖尿病代谢综合征患者明显增厚,老年代谢综合征患者的颈动脉内膜-中膜厚度又较非老年患者增厚明显。     

Carotid artery atherosclerosis in type-2 diabetic and nondiabetic subjects with and without symptomatic coronary artery disease (The Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study)

Type-2 diabetes mellitus is associated with a 2- to 4-fold increase in the risk of clinical coronary artery disease (CAD). It has been suggested that diabetic subjects without clinical CAD should be treated as aggressively for cardiovascular risk factors as subjects with CAD. This would be warranted if diabetic subjects without clinical CAD would have accelerated CAD similar to that of nondiabetic subjects with symptomatic CAD. To assess this suggestion, we compared the intima-media wall thickness in the common carotid artery (CCA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) in 43 diabetic subjects with clinical CAD, 446 diabetic subjects without clinical CAD, 47 nondiabetic subjects with clinical CAD, and 975 nondiabetic subjects without clinical CAD (all aged 40 to 70 years) in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study. All data were adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity, and clinical results. Both diabetes and CAD were associated with increased atherosclerosis in the CCA. Likewise, diabetes was significantly associated with increased atherosclerosis in the ICA; however, CAD was not associated with ICA intima-media wall thickness. As expected, diabetic subjects with CAD had the greatest intima-media wall thickness, whereas nondiabetic subjects without CAD had the least atherosclerosis. Subjects with diabetes but without CAD had slightly greater intima-media wall thickness than nondiabetic subjects with CAD, although these differences were not statistically significant. Thus, diabetic subjects even without CAD had extensive atherosclerosis in the carotid artery. These results support the suggestion that diabetic subjects should be treated as aggressively for cardiovascular risk factor management as subjects with pre-existing CAD.     

老年动脉弹性与颈动脉粥样硬化相关性研究

目的:探讨老年人动脉弹性与动脉粥样硬化之间的关系。方法:本研究入选314例老年人,采用日本产全自动动脉硬化测定仪同步记录两侧肱动脉-踝动脉脉搏波传导速度(baPWV)作为反映大动脉弹性的指标,应用颈动脉内膜中层厚度(IMT)、颈动脉斑块的有无估计动脉粥样硬化的严重程度。结果:合并高血压患者颈动脉斑块的发生率显著高于未合并高血压组(P<0．05);baPWV在颈动脉斑块组与颈动脉无斑块组存在显著差异(P<0．001); baPWV与颈动脉IMT呈正相关(r=0.42,P<0．001);Logistic回归分析表明年龄、PWV与颈动脉斑块密切相关 (P<0．05-<0．01)。结论:动脉弹性是反应血管亚临床病变的指标,与颈动脉粥样硬化的严重程度密切相关,可作为预测颈动脉粥样硬化程度的指标之一。     

2型糖尿病患者颈动脉粥样硬化与血糖血脂水平的关系

目的探讨2型糖尿病患者颈动脉粥样硬化程度与血糖、血脂等因素的相关性。方法对100例2型糖尿病初诊患者和40例我院血糖正常的健康体检者(对照组)行颈动脉超声检查,测定颈动脉内-中膜厚度(IMT)平均值及粥样硬化斑块情况,同时测定患者糖化血红蛋白(HbA1c)、血脂[总胆固醇(TC)、三酰甘油(TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)]等项目,分析糖尿病患者颈动脉硬化情况与血糖、血脂的关系。结果 100例糖尿病患者有不同程度颈动脉粥样硬化者占75%(75例),明显高于健康对照组(25%,P<0.01)。糖尿病有斑块组IMT平均为(1.42±0.21)mm,糖尿病无斑块组IMT平均为(1.00±0.18)mm,两组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。糖尿病有斑块组患者的HbA1c、LDL-C水平明显高于和HDL-C水平明显低于无斑块组患者[HbA1c:8.1%±1.6%比6.2%±1.8%;LDL-C:(4.8±0.9)mmol/L比(4.2±0.8)mmol/L;HDL-C:(0.8±0.3)mmol/L比(1.0±0.5)mmol/L,均为P<0.05]。结论糖尿病患者颈动脉硬化的程度与血糖、血脂水平存在显著的相关性。     

Association of common carotid intima-media thickness and lipoprotein(a) with coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND: Carotid artery intimal medial thickness is a simple, non-invasive and reproducible clinical tool to evaluate atherosclerosis and predict coronary artery disease. Lipoprotein(a) levels are related to both atherogenesis and thrombogenesis and may be a key link between lipid and coronary artery disease. This study evaluated the association of carotid intimal medial thickness and lipoprotein(a) with coronary artery disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 185 randomly selected patients hospitalized for coronary angiogram in our institute. There were 110 angiographically proven patients of coronary artery disease with mean age of 55.8 +/- 9 years (range 34-72 years) and 75 subjects with normal coronary artery anatomy with mean age of 54.8 +/- 8 years (range 34-68 years). The mean carotid intimal medial thickness of subjects with coronary artery disease was significantly higher than in subjects without coronary artery disease (0.84 +/- 0.16 mm v. 0.65 +/- 0.15 mm, p<0.001). The mean carotid intimal medial thicknesses in patients with triple vessel, double vessel and single vessel disease were 0.96 +/- 0.12 mm, 0.84 +/- 0.11 mm and 0.78 +/- 0.13 mm, respectively (p=0.05). The mean lipoprotein(a) of subjects with coronary artery disease was significantly higher than in subjects without coronary artery disease (35.9 +/- 22.3 mg/dl v. 19.1 +/- 21.2 mg/dl, p<0.001). Mean lipoprotein(a) levels in subjects with carotid intimal medial thickness <0.80 was 26.4 +/- 24.2 mg/dl and in subjects with carotid intimal medial thickness > or = 0.80 was 32.1 +/- 22.1 mg/dl (p=0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There is a strong correlation between carotid and coronary atherosclerosis and carotid intimal medial thickness is a good predictor of presence and extent of coronary artery disease. Lipoprotein(a) level is a powerful independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. Carotid intimal medial thickness and lipoprotein(a) in conjoint can predict coronary artery disease reliably.     

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.     

The combined effect of augmentation index and carotid intima-media thickness on cardiovascular risk in young and middle-aged men without cardiovascular disease

Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) has been used as a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis and is related to cardiovascular risk. Indices of arterial stiffness are also associated with cardiovascular risk and atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of the combination of surrogate markers of cardiovascular disease measured non-invasively in subjects without cardiovascular disease. In this cross-sectional study, 81 young and middle aged males (39.2+/-6.3 years) without evidence of overt cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus were enrolled. High-resolution B-mode ultrasonography and pulse wave analysis were used to measure carotid artery IMT and augmentation index (AI), a measure of arterial stiffness. Framingham risk score (FRS) was used as an estimate of the risk for development of cardiovascular disease. Regional differences were observed in the carotid arteries' IMT regarding their relationship with FRS: combined (average from all sites) IMT and IMT in the carotid bulb (CB), but not in the common (CC) and internal carotid artery (IC), and AI showed significant increases of FRS by their tertiles. However, subjects with both AI and IMT at any site in the highest tertile (AI>15%, CC>0.65 mm, CB>0.8 mm, IC>0.65 mm) had an increased FRS compared to subjects with one or none of these parameters in the highest tertile. In conclusion, young and middle-aged men without overt cardiovascular disease with both high IMT and AI are in high cardiovascular risk, as assessed by FRS. Epidemiological studies are needed to further validate this combination.     

The role of carotid atherosclerosis in the distinction between ischaemic and non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy.

AIM: Sometimes ischaemic cardiomyopathy is a result of severe coronary artery disease of an occult course, without typical symptoms or evidence of myocardial infarction. This form of presentation is usually indistinguishable from non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy. Carotid bifurcation atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease have been shown to be strongly associated. We prospectively examined the value of extracranial carotid atherosclerosis in the distinction between ischaemic and non-ischaemic aetiology in patients with clinically unexplained cardiomyopathy. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients with undetermined dilatation and diffuse impairment of the left ventricular contraction were studied within 28 months. They underwent carotid scan and coronary arteriography. Carotid atherosclerosis was found to be very common in ischaemic and rare in non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy. The presence of at least one abnormal carotid finding (intima-media thickness >1 mm, plaques, severe carotid stenosis) was 96% sensitive and 89% specific for ischaemic cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSION: Carotid scanning may be a useful screening and decision making tool in patients with cardiomyopathy of indecisive cause. Patients with carotid atherosclerosis are likely to suffer from severe coronary artery disease. Coronary angiography and subsequent myocardial viability studies, when indicated, could be considered early during their evaluation. In contrast, a negative carotid scan predicts non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy.     

Small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration and carotid atherosclerosis

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and the small dense LDL (SdLDL) phenotype are both predictors for ischemic heart disease. We examined whether cholesterol of SdLDL (SdLDL-C) is more closely associated with carotid artery intima-media thickness (CA-IMT), a surrogate measure of atherosclerosis, than LDL-C and other lipid parameters. The subjects were 326 consecutive participants including those with dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and smokers. SdLDL-C was quantified by a newly developed precipitation method, and CA-IMT by high-resolution B-mode ultrasound. In univariate analysis, CA-IMT was most strongly correlated with SdLDL-C (Spearman's r=0.441, P<0.001), followed by apolipoprotein (apo) B, LDL-C, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Non-HDL-C), and plasma triglycerides (TG). HDL-C and apo A-I correlated inversely with CA-IMT. Non-lipid variables that were associated with CA-IMT were age, sex, presence of diabetes mellitus, presence of hypertension, estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Even after adjustment for age, sex, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking, eGFR and CRP, the positive association of CA-IMT with SdLDL-C remained significant, and again stronger than the associations with others lipid parameters. Further analyses revealed that the level of SdLDL-C was elevated in subgroups of the subjects including men, older subjects, smokers, those with higher CRP levels, those with diabetes mellitus, and hypertensive patients. These results indicate that SdLDL-C was the best marker of carotid atherosclerosis among the lipid parameters tested, and suggest that quantitative measurement of SdLDL-C gives useful information in the risk assessment for atherosclerotic disease.     

颈动脉内-中膜厚度与冠心病的关系

颈动脉超声检查是一项安全、实用并且无创的诊断方法,能够准确地提供颈动脉的相关情况,可以为冠心病等心血管疾病提供前期预警。现总结近期文献的观点,认为在提供早期预警方面,颈内动脉内-中膜厚度比颈总动脉内-中膜厚度更有价值。而且颈动脉内-中膜厚度和弗雷明汉评分联用可以为冠心病等心血管疾病提供更加可靠和准确的前期预警。     

老年人颈动脉粥样硬化与冠状动脉粥样硬化的关系

为探讨老年人颈动脉粥样硬化与冠状动脉粥样硬化的关系,对94例进行冠状动脉造影的老年患者进行颈动脉超声检查。颈动脉粥样硬化斑块积分采用Sutton法,结果发现,冠状动脉病变单支组和多支组内膜一中膜厚度,斑块积分显著高于正常组,冠状动脉病变多支组显著高于单支组（P均＜0．05）,斑块指数与年龄,吸烟,低密度脂蛋白胆固醇／高密度脂蛋白胆固醇比值,收缩压以及高血压病程及程度密切相关,结果提示,颈动脉粥样硬化与冠状动脉粥样硬化的病变是平行的。     

Carotid intima-media thickness in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia

OBJECTIVE: Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) is now widely used as a surrogate marker for atherosclerotic disease. Carotid IMT measured by ultrasound has been shown to be correlated with coronary artery disease as defined by angiography. However, the relation between carotid IMT and isolated coronary artery ectasia (CAE) has not been investigated. The aim of our study was to assess this relation. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with isolated CAE without stenosis and 25 control subjects with angiographically normal coronary arteries were included in this study. These were examined by B-mode ultrasound to measure the IMT at the far wall of the common carotid artery. RESULTS: Patients with isolated CAE had significantly higher carotid IMT compared to control subjects with angiographically normal coronary arteries (0.95+/-0.12 versus 0.71+/-0.10mm respectively, p<0.0001). In addition, we detected a significant positive correlation between the presence of CAE and carotid IMT (r=0.748, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: We have shown for the first time an association between increased carotid IMT and isolated CAE, suggesting that atherosclerosis may be involved in the pathogenesis of isolated CAE in the adult population.     

心血管危险因素对颈动脉粥样硬化的影响及超声评价的意义

越来越多的研究表明心血管危险因素导致了颈动脉内膜中层厚度(IMT)增厚;超声检测到的颈动脉粥样硬化与冠脉造影所示的冠状动脉粥样硬化严重程度明显相关。目前颈动脉IMT可作为反映动脉粥样硬化的指标。由于颈动脉超声检查无创、准确、简便、重复性好,可用于对新发现的或已确定的危险因素进行综合评价,也可用于通过临床对高危因素干预后,动态观察动脉粥样硬化的进展及消退,还对冠心病高危人群发生心血管事件的预测具有重要意义。